Linked by Thom Holwerda on Wed 27th Feb 2008 18:33 UTC, submitted by JJ
"Microsoft was fined a record 899 million euros (USD 1.35 billion) by the European Commission on Wednesday for using high prices to discourage software competition in the latest sanction in their long-running battle. The executive arm of the European Union said the U.S. software group defied a 2004 order from Brussels to provide the information on reasonable terms. Microsoft has now been fined a total of 1.68 billion euros by the EU for abusing its 95 percent dominance of PC operating systems through Windows."
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Member since:2005-07-06
do you actually know what the EU does?
Yes, the fine is big, BUT microsoft would not have those kind of sums in the bank had it not denied the competition
The reason no-one wanted the non media player version was it was the same price as the version WITH (in the uk at least)
Member since:2006-01-06
do you actually know what the EU does?
Yeah, they generate voluminous amounts of paper, hot air, and fines.
Yes, the fine is big, BUT microsoft would not have those kind of sums in the bank had it not denied the competition
That is debatable. We don't know the impact of the lack of interop documentation on the marketplace. Samba is a perfect example of an excellent product that has succeeded in spite of no docs.
The reason no-one wanted the non media player version was it was the same price as the version WITH (in the uk at least)
Perhaps, in some peoples' fantasy world, everyone should pay for a media player. Or a web browser. Or notepad. Or paint. Or solitaire. Or other least-common-denominator software that just about everyone uses. But that isn't reality. Practically nobody buys commercial versions of basic apps when there are perfectly good free choices on the market (WinAmp, FireFox, Flash, etc). So, really, those apps don't (and shouldn't) affect the price of Windows.
Member since:2005-11-12
Member since:2006-01-06
Just like fines from the judge, pay them and you do it again, it's not like the EU can imprison all the CEO's and people responsible. If you had a court bindded by the rules of law what would you do?
But that's the issue: The EU isn't bound by any laws. It can make them up as it goes along, and it has a kangaroo court to approve them.
Member since:2006-02-01
The difference in the WMP case and in this case, is that in the WMP case, Microsoft was force to offer to version of Windows for the same price and with one version beeing inferior to the other one. While in this case Microsoft is asked to release documentation about Windows API and protocols, for a reasonable price.
Member since:2006-01-06
The difference in the WMP case and in this case, is that in the WMP case, Microsoft was force to offer to version of Windows for the same price and with one version beeing inferior to the other one.
How much is Media Player worth? IE? Notepad? Paint? Solitaire? Quite frankly, if you say anything but $0, I'm going to be very surprised, because there are tons of free alternatives on the market that have necessarily reduced the value of Media Player to $0.
While in this case Microsoft is asked to release documentation about Windows API and protocols, for a reasonable price.
According to MS, "hundreds of Microsoft employees and contractors have worked for more than 30,000 hours to create over 12,000 pages of detailed technical documents that are available for license today." The EU claims that the documentation wasn't sufficient, but isn't required to provide independent analysis by anyone outside their payroll. Quite frankly, given the amount of money at stake here, I'd question the EU's objectivity on this issue. I say let ISVs tell us whether the docs are sufficient or not, not some hired flack from the EU.
Member since:2005-07-06
Member since:2006-01-06
Ok Mr Tomcat, explain why someone would pay EXACTLY the same amount of cash for two systems, one with all the "goodies" missing ?
Because, as I've pointed out on this thread, a Media Player isn't worth more than $0, when there are numerous free alternatives on the market (ie. WinAmp, etc).
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Member since:
2006-01-06
The air? Someone's ass?
But does it really matter? Nothing that the EU has done has been reasonable or effective. Look at the whole Windows Media Player debacle. The EU forced MS to provide a version of Windows without WMP -- and no one wanted it! Now, it's perched to do the same thing with Internet Explorer, on behalf of Opera.
So, really, what's happening here besides a bunch of Eurocrats getting fat at MS's expense?