"Redmond Justice" rages on, as computer science expert David J. Farber takes the stand to defend his testimony that Microsoft bundled Windows and Internet Explorer not because it benefits the customer, but because it allowed them an unfair advantage when competing with Netscape. But for our money, the real high points of the show have been Bill Gates' numerous guest appearances, in which the producers spliced in videotaped footage of his August deposition. The answering of straightforward questions with vaguer ones, the giggle-inducing semantic debates over the meaning of simple English words, a discussion about the infinite subtleties of the phrase "pissing on"-- let others debate whether or not Gates' deposition is relevant; it's entertaining, by gum, and that's all that matters in our minds.

Unfortunately, Gates doesn't seem to think so; he is Not Amused. According to a New York Times article, he continues to go public with his accusations that the government is to blame for his "uncooperative" attitude during the taped deposition. During a recent news conference, he accused government lawyer David Boies of "badgering" him to give yes-or-no answers to questions he knew to be "ambiguous." A Microsoft legal consultant, Charles F. Rule (who, incidentally, used to head up the Justice Department's antitrust division) claims that the government is "trying to turn this into a P.R. spectacle."

Ironic much? After all, the Justice Department hasn't called a single news conference since the suit was filed back in May, while Microsoft generally issues a couple of news briefings a week, regularly makes public statements regarding the case on the steps of the courthouse, takes out full-page ads in national publications saying that the whole case is unjust since they're only trying to make software better for everyone, etc. Heck, they've even just posted a 21-page report called "A Case of Trial in Error: The Microsoft Antitrust Suit" to their web site. Now, who's trying to turn this case into a P.R. spectacle? Hey, whoever it is, keep it up-- it's the most fun we've had since Quark tried to buy Adobe.