Go Minnesota!
To clarify the MN Atty General's stance on M$ and the like, I sent Mike Hatch an email asking for further explanation, as well as my own concerns.. I was pleasantly surprised with his 4 page response.
There is nothing new in this letter, so you have been warned.
I have posted it here
http://fastcomputers.tv/AGvsMS.txt
-Kevin


On Fri, 30 Nov 2001 11:52:07 -0600
Scott Dier <dieman at ringworld.org> wrote:

> ----- Forwarded message from "Christopher R. Hertel" <crh at ubiqx.mn.org> -----
> 
> From: "Christopher R. Hertel" <crh at ubiqx.mn.org>
> Subject: Microsoft Anti-trust case: MN Atty's General
> Date: Thu, 29 Nov 2001 23:19:38 -0600
> Sender: crh at mnmai05.mn.mediaone.net
> Organization: ubiqx development, uninq.
> X-Mailer: Mozilla 4.77 [en] (X11; U; Linux 2.2.18pre21-idepci i586)
> 
> I have it on good authority that Mike Jacobs, the lawyer from the MN
> Attorney General's office who is handling the Microsoft Anti-Trust case (the
> continuation, since the DoJ is trying to settle) will be speaking at the
> next Unix Users of Minnesota meeting.  The UUM web page does not have
> up-to-date info, it seems.  Keep checking...
> 
> Despite the fact that Microsoft considers Linux and Open Source to be their
> biggest threat, the DoJ settlement says nothing about Open Source, nor does
> it make any provisions for Open Source competition.  It talks about
> Microsoft licensing documentation to ISVs, etc.  The language basically
> excludes Open Source Development.
> 
> Minnesota has decided not to accept the DoJ settlement, and is pursuing
> the case along with nine other states.  If you have interest in this issue
> (and you probably should), I recommend:
> 
> 1) Go to Mike's talk.
> 2) Read the DoJ proposed settlement (there is an updated version).
> 3) Send polite, succinct, and clear comments to the DoJ regarding the
>    proposed settlement.
> 
> The Settlement info can be found at:
>     _h_t_t_p_:_/_/_w_w_w_._u_s_d_o_j_._g_o_v_:_8_0_/_a_t_r_/_c_a_s_e_s_/_m_s_-_s_e_t_t_l_e_._h_t_m
> 
> Make sure your read this section:
>     _h_t_t_p_:_/_/_w_w_w_._u_s_d_o_j_._g_o_v_:_8_0_/_a_t_r_/_c_a_s_e_s_/_m_s_-_s_e_t_t_l_e_._h_t_m_#_t_u_n_n_e_y
> 
> I believe that this list would be a good forum for discussing arguments
> against the settlement (arguments which people might include in their
> messages to the DoJ).  Please let me know if I'm wrong about that.
> 
> Chris -)-----
> 
> --
> Samba Team -- _h_t_t_p_:_/_/_w_w_w_._s_a_m_b_a_._o_r_g_/     -)-----   Christopher R. Hertel
> jCIFS Team -- _h_t_t_p_:_/_/_j_c_i_f_s_._s_a_m_b_a_._o_r_g_/   -)-----   ubiqx development, uninq.
> ubiqx Team -- _h_t_t_p_:_/_/_w_w_w_._u_b_i_q_x_._o_r_g_/     -)-----   crh at ubiqx.mn.org
> 
> -- 
> Scott Dier <dieman at ringworld.org> <sdier at debian.org>
> http://www.ringworld.org/  #linuxos at irc.openprojects.net
> 
> So I ran up to him, and the exchange went something like this:
> Me: Oh my god! You're Larry Niven!
> Him: Oh my god! You're Wil Wheaton!
> 	-Wil Wheaton, in a Slashdot interview
> _______________________________________________
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> http://www.mn-linux.org
> tclug-list at mn-linux.org
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>