back to article Microsoft, Google bury hatchet – surprisingly, not in each other

Microsoft and Google have agreed to sort their issues out between themselves rather than getting state regulators to investigate each other's actions. "Microsoft has agreed to withdraw its regulatory complaints against Google, reflecting our changing legal priorities," Redmond said in a statement to El Reg. "We will continue …

  1. a_yank_lurker

    Detente for a reason

    Slurp and Chocolate Factory are facing issues in the core segments with income and profits. Wasting money on overpriced, overbilling shysters is not smart business. It is money that is better used elsewhere by both.

    1. Anonymous Coward
      Anonymous Coward

      Re: Detente for a reason

      Fighting each other while both take IMHO identical end runs around laws and ethics didn't make much sense, but that's what too much testosterone and hunger for power does to you. At least now it's organised crime "business"..

    2. P. Lee

      Re: Detente for a reason

      And the reason is Amazon.

      AWS is replacing Win32 at the server end and it ain't running on either Azure or GCloud.

      My enemy's enemy....

  2. raving angry loony

    Good?

    Because two major violators of many laws and regulations agreeing with each other to keep quiet about it is "good"?

    The author writes: "The only people this new detente agreement will hurt is the lawyers,"

    Well, that and the general public whose governments have already seemingly been bought out by these behemoths. At least someone was trying to keep them in line. Now that they're not doing it to each other, I sense that the public is about to get right royally rogered a lot more.

    1. Anonymous Coward
      Anonymous Coward

      Re: Good?

      Well, that and the general public whose governments have already seemingly been bought out by these behemoths. At least someone was trying to keep them in line. Now that they're not doing it to each other, I sense that the public is about to get right royally rogered a lot more.

      Yes, as I observed elsewhere, now one could call it organised crime..

  3. Anonymous Coward
    Anonymous Coward

    Anyone know why elreg doesn't open the pro-copyright topics (eg the one before this) to comments? Second time it's happened in as many weeks.

    1. diodesign (Written by Reg staff) Silver badge

      "Anyone know why elreg doesn't open the pro-copyright topics (eg the one before this) to comments? Second time it's happened in as many weeks."

      Our pro-copyright stories have comment sections. Most stories allow all comments through (unless you're a new poster or on a naughty step). For some authors, we hand moderate comments to stop the forums turning off-topic. If you spot any articles with delayed moderation, that'll be the reason why.

      If any articles are published without a comment section, it's 99% an error on our part (someone hit the wrong button) or because of an obvious legal risk.

      C.

  4. Mikel

    Following up on the patent truce story

    As I wrote then...

    http://forums.theregister.co.uk/forum/1/2015/10/01/google_microsoft_patent_agreement/

    Spurious claims that Microsoft was going to slaughter Android with patents are tossed in the bin.

    I hope Google was wise enough to include all of Microsoft's proxies and puppets in the deal.

    Microsoft hasn't got it in them to give up the sneak attacks and dirty tricks. They call it "hardball" and are quite proud to lead the league. They will always believe this one is plausibly deniable, that one was survival essential. They will just say "well, we just weren't sneaky enough before, because we got caught, so this time we will apply the triple blind double-sneak and be golden.

    Cheaters cheat. Liars lie. It's not what they do, It's what they are.

    1. Anonymous Coward
      Anonymous Coward

      Re: Following up on the patent truce story

      Because Google are nice people? hardly.

    2. h4rm0ny

      Re: Following up on the patent truce story

      Spurious claims by who? As someone replied to your previous post on this, MS were making lots of money from the patents that Android infringed on. It's free money to them.

      Also, isn't this rather shoe-horned into this topic?

  5. EddieD

    How many times is this now?

    I can't help but think of the Tom and Jerry cartoon "The Truce Hurts", in which Tom, Jerry and Butch sign a peace treaty...well, follow the link below to see how that worked out...

    https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UaX3hvrZDJA

  6. Mage Silver badge
    Devil

    encourage government regulators to investigate each other

    Pity.

    Certainly both need investigating.

    MS: Windows should not be included with PC

    It's reasonable that Macs and Phones and non-x86 tablets should be preloaded. But the OS on a laptop / PC / netbook should be an optional extra. By all means sell it in PC world as a bundle, and pre-configured so it just flawlessly installs. Then users also have media (SD card, USB stick, DVD or whatever) to re-install.

    W10 telemetery must be stopped.

    Forced updates must be stopped.

    No bundling of MS Cloud services. Option

    Google Android:

    Permissions wrong, updates lacking

    Playstore and rest of Google spyware should be optional install and have a privacy warning.

    Google must be more seriously investigated as to manipulation of search results, hosting of fonts, java & analytics for websites, abuse of privacy and data.

    1. EddieD

      Re: encourage government regulators to investigate each other

      "It's reasonable that Macs and Phones and non-x86 tablets should be preloaded"

      Why?

      Possibly tablets (but look at the flak google is taking for monopoly atm) - but a macbook is just a laptop. A Mac Mini is just a PC.

      Sell them all naked, and make a pile of OS disks available.

      1. israel_hands

        Re: encourage government regulators to investigate each other

        Or just include a bootloader that can fetch a list from t'internet and offer to install whatever OS the owner wants when they first boot.

        No idea why Macs should not be included in that either, possibly because if a mactard sees another OS running on their machine they'll realise they've paid a lot of money for what is just another laptop.

      2. Pseu Donyme

        Re: encourage government regulators to investigate each other

        >Sell them all naked, and make a pile of OS disks available.

        Or maybe have Windows pre-installed, but have it ask for an activation code on the first run that'd be on a separate scratch card or somesuch, which could be left at the store for a refund in the amount the OEM pays Microsoft. (I don't see any compelling reason to keep OEM prices secret, on the contrary, requiring all Microsoft-OEM contracts to be public in their entirety would help to keep Microsoft - a de facto monopolist - (a bit more) honest and hence be in the public interest (in particular if the price of Win 10 is supposed to be zero)).

      3. Mage Silver badge

        Re: encourage government regulators to investigate each other

        1) Macs are made for/by Apple, non-macs are not made by MS. MS makes Surface, but no true PCs / Laptops. Mac also small market share. It's the same idea of product as a TV, DVD, Amiga, PS4, Xbox One or Atari ST, though it's very similar architecture to an x86. I rather suspect Apple is moving to toward iOS replacing Mac OS X, (which ought to be called Mac OS XV or something by now and seems to be getting renamed to Mac OS).

        The major selling point of Mac and OS X is actually they come from same vendor and thus are compatible. The Non-Macs are much more work to support. Apple is primarily Gadget and Services vendor. Their iOS and Mac OS only exist to make their own hardware work, unlike the money making near monopolistic sales of MS Windows with OTHER people's hardware.

        2) Non x86 phones / tablets are diverse. They work best with an OS specially tailored. They are gadgets and while "open" is good and having them like routers that can be loaded with alternate OS is a laudable idea, in reality it's as practical as changing the OS on a TV, DVD or setbox (which is feasible, BT replaced Win CE with custom Linux on EXISTING customer boxes). It's not practical today for the average user.

        1. werdsmith Silver badge

          Re: encourage government regulators to investigate each other

          The major selling point of Mac and OS X is actually they come from same vendor and thus are compatible. The Non-Macs are much more work to support.*

          * In theory.

    2. Flocke Kroes Silver badge

      Re: encourage government regulators to investigate each other

      Getting a PC without Windows has been getting steadily easier. It has reached the point where major distributors are openly selling blank hardware for less than the same hardware with Windows installed. The final nail in the coffin was banking trojans hidden in the crapware. The effort of searching for trojans exceeded the bribes for installing the rubbish in the first place. Although retailers could include Linux as standard, the first thing any penguin is going to do is wipe the machine and do a clean install, so I can understand them not making the effort.

      W10 is Microsoft moving to an ad supported revenue model. The telemetry is part of the cost of the OS. If the cost is too high for you, don't buy it. You have choices that do not involve the old Microsoft tax. Forced updates and bundling of cloud services are more costs known in advance to anyone vaguely computer literate. Pay the costs or leave Microsoft to their thoroughly lock-in victims.

      There is a whole chain of blame for lack of Android updates: The telco won't allow it, the manufacturer can't be bothered, the chip vendor will not maintain closed source drivers for old chips. You could wait a decade for the European court to reach a verdict, and another for effective enforcement. If you want updates, check out which makes get regular updates before you buy.

      If you think Google are manipulating search results, jump straight to page 2. They are not the only search engine. I am more likely to search Wakipedia or Amazon than use a generic search. Java has an off switch. So does javascript. The web looks so much better without either.

      Voting with your feet is far more effective than waiting for the EU to do something useful.

  7. Dr Fidget

    I believe the word you're looking for here is Cartel.

  8. Anonymous Coward
    Linux

    The two companies have been using proxy forces

    "For years, the two companies have been using proxy forces, and direct attacks, to encourage government regulators to investigate each other."

    Can you cite the Google equivalent of the Microsoft front groups CompTIA & FairSearch and Microsoft extracting revenue out of Android phone manufacturers.

    1. Anonymous Coward
      Anonymous Coward

      Re: The two companies have been using proxy forces

      You're right, they prefer to bribe, sorry, lobby governments directly.

  9. JungleJim

    IP property? Cf. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/RAS_syndrome

  10. lglethal Silver badge
    Trollface

    Won't someone think of the Lawyers?

    How will they possibly survive without their daily dose of Caviar and Don Perignon '55?

  11. Bob Vistakin
    1. Anonymous Coward
      Meh

      Re: What a co-incidence

      Or put another way, Android handset sales are falling.

      Works both ways that one....

  12. Zxerxes

    Google Be Forewarned - Microsoft Cheats

    Google execs must use a "Trust but Verify" approach whenever dealing with Microsoft, who isn't known for playing according to the rules. Microsoft Windows was created by Bill Gates using code stolen from a company from which he was fired for non-production in Seattle, WA. From that time onward, Microsoft has used every devious device and scheme to defraud, cheat, scheme, or ruin any competitor in its path. Google executives cannot afford to forget who and what they are dealing with - Microsoft is probably the most diabolically evil corporation on planet earth.

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