Microsoft CEO ordered by judge to appear at the court

Microsoft CEO has been ordered by judge to present at the court.Steven Ballmer, Chief Executive officer, Microsoft Corporation (NASDAQ:MSFT) is facing lawsuit over misinforming consumers regarding Windows Vista. Marsha Pechman, U.S. District Judge, did not grant Microsoft’s request to stop consumer lawyers from questioning Ballmer on the ground of a recorded conversation between Ballmer and the top executive of Intel Corporation (NASDAQ:INTC) which indicates that Ballmer have first hand knowledge about the case.

Due to the delay in the development of Windows Vista, the latest version of Microsoft’s flagship software, the company advised hardware manufacturers to label their products as “Vista Capable” but the products could not even run the basic Windows Vista let alone the premium edition. Despite knowing about the problem, the company went ahead and started selling Vista in January 2007 and the case was made in March 2007. Judge Marsha Pechman classified the case as a “class-action, or group, lawsuit” in February. On April 13, 2008, Microsoft faced the trial.David Bowermaster, Microsoft spokesperson, forwarded an email which says:

“We will of course comply with the court’s order …Mr. Ballmer’s knowledge about the Windows Vista Capable program comes from the executives he empowered to run the program and make decisions, and two of those executives already testified in this case.”

Marsha Pechman limited Ballmer’s presence in court up to three hours and she ordered that the trial will be conducted within 30 days of her ruling.

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Bloomberg