Unfortunately, being the cynic that I am, I think Compaq's motives behind the bundling of Netscape is to help out Microsoft, as they are one of the only companies willing to testify on behalf of MS. However, it means Netscape is coming with the computers, and that is important. Now, we need to see some Netscape deals in which Communicator is made the default browser. Hopefully, version 5.0 and the backing of AOL will create some momentum that will lead to such deals. I can hope, at least.

On a side note, is anyone else as incredibly amused with the last few days of the MS trial as I am? The whole deal with the video just makes me smile . . .

Joel Caris

according to this logic we should just quit the mozilla project and switch to IE. cmon linux, mac and BeOS guys-help kill MS by using their products. Let's all use active-x and maybe MS will go broke! Sometimes you just should forget about the trial and do the right thing even if that helps MS' case.

arielb,

I don't believe that anyone said that it was a bad thing for Compaq to start bundling Netscape. In fact, I believe this is a good thing. However, it's hard not to point out an obvious connection to the antitrust suit. It will be interesting to see if the Compaq VP points to this new Communicator bundling as a sign that Microsoft isn't engaging in monopolistic practices.

It's also interesting to note that Gateway and NEC have also started bundling Communicator, now that the antitrust trial is in court. Is that a coincidence? Or are they using the trial to afford themselves freedoms that they did not have when Microsoft was in control of the situation?

The Compaq deal's timing circumstance makes it definitely suspect--though I think it's a good thing Communicator is back on the desktop in Windoze. How long this will last remains to be seen. (Gateway and NEC may be differently motivated . . . .)

Frankly, I'm utterly disgusted with the whole trial business. It's too ridiculous . . . . It is so obvious that Microsoft is going to lose--or win but only by default (as they have "won" virtually everything from OS market-share to users' mindshare) on some technicality (for instance by pissing off the judge so bad he fumbles the proceedings--and Jackson has been known to do this on occassion . . . ). They certainly won't win by a just decision.

BTW, I don't recall if this has ever come up at mozillaZine before but the San Jose Mercury News online has a really good section for Microsoft Trial coverage at

http://www.sjmercury.com/business/microsoft/trial/

It's much less chatty than the Register and Rich Gray's commentary is very good.

I thought Compaq was the only computer manufacturer willing to testify against Microsoft in court.

Compaq has no incentive to help out Microsoft. Their goal is to gain as much influence in the computer industry as possible, and to increase their independence relative to both Intel and Microsoft. That's why they're backing the Alpha processors, which many people thought they would kill after they bought out DEC, and why they are putting a lot of effort into supporting Digital Unix, the old Tandem operating systems, and even Red Hat Linux.

the compaq bundling is super news because it's gonna be awhile until Netscape 5 comes

>>>the compaq bundling is super news because it's gonna be awhile until Netscape 5 comes<<<

Well, it won't come on all Compaq computers. Netscape needs to get their software on more computers. They also have lost some mind-share. They need to re-gain that IMO.