From: canuck@ibm.net
Subject: Microsoft Anti-Competitive Behaviour *Again*
Date: 1995/08/17
Message-ID: <40uvib$343k@news-s02.ny.us.ibm.net>#1/1
reply-to: canuck@ibm.net
newsgroups: comp.os.os2.advocacy,comp.os.ms-windows.advocacy,
comp.os.os2.misc,comp.os.ms-windows.misc
Subject: (U) IBM PSP WITHDRAWAL FROM WINDOWS SOLUTION TRADE SHOW
The following note from Dan Lautenbach is being sent to all IBM PSP employees.
============
Dear PSP Employees:
We were notified earlier this month that Lee Reiswig's keynote address
at the Windows Solutions trade show had been cancelled by the show's
sponsor, at Microsoft's request. Lee was to deliver the show's
closing keynote on September 1 at San Francisco's Moscone Center. At
last year's Windows Solutions, his keynote address was rated the best
session of the show by conference attendees.
According to Softbank Expo president Bill Lohse, Microsoft threatened
to pull its sponsorship of the conference portion of Windows Solutions
and to withdraw permission to use the word "Windows" in the name of the
show, if he did not cancel Lee's keynote.
Microsoft decides what they want users to have, they set the proprietary,
closed "standards" they want developers to adhere to, and now they
choose what speakers Windows users get to hear. Interestingly enough,
Lee's topic for the keynote was "Choices," something Microsoft obviously
doesn't want for their customers.
Based on Softbank's action, we decided to withdraw completely from the
tradeshow and conference. Late last week, Bill Lohse reconsidered
and asked PSP to "rejoin" the show, offering Lee a new timeslot for
his keynote opposite another popular speaker. We felt that this was
an inappropriate offer and declined to participate.
I know many of you had already put in long hours planning the keynote
and our exhibits. I want to thank you personally for your hard
work on what I am sure would have been a repeat of last year's
outstanding showing at Windows Solutions.
Sincerely,
D.J. Lautenbach