EU fines Microsoft unprecedented $357.3 mln

http://money.iwon.com/ ^ | 7 12 06 | David Lawsky and Sabina Zawadzki

[freepatriot32]

Libertarian ping.To be added or removed from my ping list freepmail me or post a message here

[4rcane]

no company can comply to a law that keeps moving its goal post

[Stallone]

The EuroSocialists need to steal to fund their social agenda.

Let them try to collect it.

[gondramB]

Mixed feelings...

On the one hand, MS is the least fair, most likely to steal from a small company, modern robber barron. They use a monopoly in one area to take advantage in other areas - the very picture of an anti-trust violation.

On the other hand, they are American and this is Europe so its hard to cheer.

[Knitebane]

I'm curious. What goalposts are you saying they've been moving?

[Echo Talon]

total BS, I wish MS would just PULL all its products and support from the EU and let them fend for themselves..

[rod1]

How the EU balances it budget. They have become the equivalent of a good o'l Southern (I grew up there) 1970s speed trap.

[Echo Talon]

how are they a monopoly?

[gondramB]

>>how are they a monopoly?<<

They have 95%+ of the desktop operating systems in the business world.

[Echo Talon]

Apple bundles iTunes and iLife with its software, why cant MS bundle media player? hmmmm

[Echo Talon]

They have 95%+ of the desktop operating systems in the business world.

so, others are available.

[HAL9000]

total BS, I wish MS would just PULL all its products and support from the EU and let them fend for themselves..

Good idea. Microsoft's US customers have to fend for themselves, so the Europeans should too.

[drlevy88]

Micro$haft will play chicken, but will not go to the extreme of pulling out because immediately Europe would become a Linux stronghold.

[Echo Talon]

I dont have a problems with Windows.

[samtheman]

Who forces you to buy microsoft? You can buy a dell with no operating sytem and put write your own if you want. Or install a free version of Linux. It's not a monopoly, it's a choice.

[Echo Talon]

Micro$haft will play chicken, but will not go to the extreme of pulling out because immediately Europe would become a Linux stronghold.

let them.

[Jameison]

"EU fines Microsoft unprecedented $357.3 mln"

What?
The America-hating Eurosocialist vermin looking to steal even more American money so they can subsidize their fast failing Airbust again?
Time for America to hit back by banning the state subsidies laden Airburst from bidding for our USAF Air tanker contract.
No surprise the EU economies are in such shambles, with stubbornly high unemployment rates

[gondramB]

>>so, others are available.<<

Yep, but they won't run the software that 95%+ of businesses use -that stuff only works on Windows. Its a circle.

MS allows a niche to grow up and when its gets to a certain size they use their monopoly power to force their way in. Its exactly what the anti-trust law authors had in mind.

The trail of U.S. companies abused in this fashion is quite lengthy. They can go to a company like Dell and threaten to put them out of business if they don't do what MS wants. They can simply include copyrighted technology that a small company is trying to sell. By the time the time it comes to court MS just pays off the creditors of the now failed company.

But I still can't root for France.

[Knitebane]

so, others are available.

Not from OEM hardware vendors.

Because Microsoft controls the distribution channel, it controls the desktop marketplace.

Attempts by OEM vendors to ship a different OS on desktop machines has been greeted by threats from Microsoft. Representatives from Dell, Compaq and Gateway testified to that effect during the US anti-trust trial.

If you're a business and you buy a desktop PC, you're going to be paying for Windows.

That's a monopoly.