Posted on 03/14/2004 8:19:12 PM PST by nuconvert
Edited on 04/29/2004 2:04:01 AM PDT by Jim Robinson. [history]
Regulators say software maker broke antitrust rules, to propose hundreds of millions in fines.
BRUSSELS (Reuters) - Microsoft has broken European Union antitrust law and could face sanctions and hundreds of millions of dollars in fines, according to a draft decision expected to win endorsement on Monday from an advisory committee to the 15 EU states.
(Excerpt) Read more at money.cnn.com ...
Write your OS then socialist Euros ...
First, Microsoft tried to hurt rival makers of audiovisual software by bundling its own Windows Media Player with its ubiquitous operating system, people familiar with the case said.
Only in Europe (or the US courts, for that matter) could these morons come up with the idea that by including a program, they're trying to put another company out of business! I'd like to know why they're not going after Microsoft for including Hyperterminal, which is a terminal emulation package... I know that I haven't needed to buy a third party terminal emulation package for when I program Cisco routers since it's included with Windows...
The advisory committee is expected to endorse a proposal requiring Microsoft to ship two versions of Windows to computer makers, which account for most sales of the operating system, for installation in computers sold in Europe, these people said.
One version would have Microsoft Windows Media Player tied in as it is now. The other would have it stripped out.
The aim is to free computer makers to sell Windows bundled with rival audiovisual software such as RealNetworks RealPlayer or Apple's Quicktime, the sources said.
I just don't get this... They can bundle the software if they want to... And you can even download these programs for free, in order to add them to the computer. Which brings up another question.... How is it hurting these other companies, if you can get their software for free??? Sure, they do have "enhanced" versions of their software, with features that you have to pay for, but I wonder just how many people actually buy that software. Frankly, I've been in the computer business since 1986, and I don't know anyone who's ever actually purchased either QuickTime or RealPlayer.
Microsoft says Windows Media Player is an inherent part of the operating system and cannot be stripped out. RealNetworks used demonstrations at an EU hearing to argue it can be.
Again, I just don't get it. RealPlayer and QuickTime will coexist quite nicely with Windows Media Player... And hey, it does quite nicely with WinAmp too!
Second, the Commission will rule that Microsoft has given rival makers of low-level servers too little information to compete with the company's products.
As a result, Microsoft's low-level servers, which perform tasks such as printing and file handling, work better with Windows.
Gee, who-da-thunk that Windows Networking works best with Windows!!!! This one, I just don't get at all!!! First off, Windows servers can co-exist quite nicely with other servers... Two that come immediately to mind would be Linux, using Samba (including, I believe Mac OS-X), and Novell's NetWare servers. Heck, in the case of NetWare, the servers can even act as member servers in a domain! And that's just for servers... In the case of clients, I know that I've had no problems setting up a Linux system to share file and print services on a Windows XP system. There shouldn't be any problem doing the same with a Win2K or Win2003 server system either. And I've been told that there's no problem doing the same on an OS/2 system... And I've had no problems setting up DOS clients to access Windows networks as well... So my question would be if you can get Linux, OS/2, and DOS clients to access Windows servers, what other client platforms do they want to allow to access Windows file and print services?!@?!?!?!?
The advisory committee is expected to approve a remedy requiring the U.S. firm to share more of its protocols with rivals, charging a reasonable royalty. It will be left to Microsoft to work out the precise solution, with close oversight by the Commission, the sources said.
Finally, the advisory group is expected to endorse a formal Commission finding that Microsoft broke the law, which would set a precedent on which Brussels can rely in the future.
Geez!!!
Mark
No! They should use Al Qaeda's trick of committing an atrocity just prior to parliamentary selection. They could program some embedded computer in some vital system like the air traffic control system to crash with a blue screen of death a few days before an election. Then the Europeons could obsequiously vote out the offending governments.
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