Borrowing on the Strawman idea: Proposal of the 4 questions to submit

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OK, I'm going to take a stab at reducing our questions to four. Please comment on my list and propose any changes which you feel are necessary.

(1) Please list the files that are modified by IE when it is installed on Windows. For each modification, please describe the purpose for the change. Please answer this question in two parts. For part one, assume that Windows is the original CD shipped to OEMs and IE denotes all files on the second add-on CD which MS required OEMs to install. For part two, define Windows as files which perform functions that you consider to be part of the OS and IE as files which perform web browser functionality. In this question, "web browser functionality" refers to features and functions which are performed by other web browsers on the market (e.g., Netscape, Mosaic, and versions of IE designed to run on non-Windows platforms).

(2)What is the level of integration between Windows and IE in Windows 98? In our question, we are using "integration" to refer to shared file structure as well as any new functionality gained by combining the products.

(3) Some of Microsoft's critics have claimed that Java and/or web browsers could, in the future, assume functions that are currently performed by Windows. For example, the web browser might become a substitute GUI for end users and the browser and/or Java might become a substitute platform for software developers. Microsoft's critics go on to claim that operating systems would then become interchangeable, and consumers could purchase any operating system for their computer. Are there any technical problems with browsers and Java which would prevent or hinder them from fulfilling the predictions of Microsoft's critics? (For example, is it likely that applications written in Java could ever run as quickly and efficiently as applications written specifically for Windows?, etc.)

(4) In your opinion, have the modifications which Microsoft made to Java in Microsoft's products (including its version of the virtual machine and J++) corrupted or enhanced Java? Explain.

-- Anonymous, October 15, 1998

Answers

The previous message was supposed to appear under the Evil Empire topic

I must have hit new message instead of reply by mistake.

(So please ignore the previous message if you are on the DOJ team.)

-- Anonymous, October 15, 1998


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