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Comment by to_jon | Hacker News Reader

Nice strategy. If a customer doesn't give your products fair consideration, sue them. There's no doubt Google has a very strong cloud product, one that's superior to Microsoft's in certain scenarios. But to start a lawsuit over this seems kind of extreme. Not the strategy of a "don't be evil" company.

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This isn't a private company looking to make a software purchase. This is the United States Federal Government. As such, I would expect them to have to give fair consideration to other vendors and their respective technologies rather than defaulting to Microsoft.

I completely agree with your argument for giving fair consideration. But put this aside, customer have the rights to choose their desired platform right? And since this is for government, they should have valid reason with their choice.

Private businesses and individuals can do whatever they want with their money.

The government instead is paying using taxpayers money.

I think you'd be surprised how many contractors end up suing the government (or competing parties) in regards to a flubbed bid.

This happens a LOT. The Federal Acquisition Regulations are designed to prevent exactly the sort of thing that Google is suing for (e.g., write bid requirements to functionality, not to products) -- and it is violated all the time.

They government should be sued more often, probably, to keep from violating the rules it sets upon itself.

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