Microsoft pays RealNetworks $761 million dollars

[roma_turok]

Microsoft is to pay $761m to US software rival RealNetworks to end an anti-competition lawsuit over computer music players.
RealNetworks had alleged that Microsoft forced PC makers to fit its rival's Windows Media Player software at the expense of its own Real Player.

Microsoft and RealNetworks said the agreement paved the way for future collaboration between the two firms.

Washington-based Microsoft has been hit by a number of similar lawsuits.

Back in July, it paid IBM $775m to settle a case.

It had earlier reached anti-competition agreements with the US government, and fellow companies Time Warner and Sun Microsystems.

A dispute with the European Union (EU) remains.


http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/business/4332426.stm

[lumis]

jesus christ.. that's 1.5 billion dollars and they're not even blinking..

couldnt they settle for $760 million and just let me have $1 million?

[Nilfennasion]

Eventually, stockholders will start blinking. You cannot expend that much money on something other than a product and not expect the stock to blink. But this is why the company has been flirting with markets other than OS software for years now. They have strangled the growth out of the software industry, they know it, and are looking to take the show on the road. Hence the prototype cars with MS software running the CPUs. Heaven help us if those turn a profit.