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EU Expands Microsoft Inquiry

Posted by ryuzaki0 on from the remember-GE-and-Honeywell dept.

Space cowboy writes "The European Commission is expanding its investigation into whether Microsoft has engaged in anti-competitive practices - now it's not just the browser bundling, but also bundling of audio-visual components (such as Windows Media Player). " There's also a Reuters report - what is worth noting, tho', is that the basis for this investigation is in the market for small servers - *not* the desktop market, from what I can see/read. '

5 of 301 comments (clear)

  1. Focus on the server market consolidates support by hillct · · Score: 5, Insightful

    The EU's focus on Microsoft's entry into the small server maket seems like it will have the effect of causing the case to recieve solid corporate support within Europe, sich that the EU will have to pursue the issue to fruition, rather than in the US where focus on the case focusing on the desktop market has recieved more fragmented consumer support. Let this be a lesson to the DOJ. When going after big companies, always identify the customer base most likely to support you in a unified way, and try the case with that focus. Granted this doesn't say much for the justice system, but that's how the world works... sadly...

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  2. What about AOL? by BalDown · · Score: 4, Interesting

    Let's see, here's the total of add-ons you get from Microsoft: 2 - IE and Media Player. Alright then, now lets look at a simple download of Netscape Communicator produced by AOL: The reason this download is somewhat big is because if you try to get it, you get not only Netscape, but WinAmp (another AOL product), RealPlayer, AOL Instant Messenger (what if I don't want to use AOL's shitty software?), and oh yeah, don't forget the AOL icons that go EVERYWHERE when you install any AOL product. Doesn't that piss anyone off in the least? I don't use Netscape at all as my browser because I think it sucks, and especially since AOL bought it out. I have to use Netscape calendar for work, and when I downloaded the Communicator with Calendar, I was able to tell it not to install Communicator, Winamp, and RealPlayer, but there was no check box for AOL Instant Messenger (which I can't use at work), and all of a sudden, bam, there it is on my computer! That and a nice fat "Sign up for AOL Today!" icon on my desktop. Why would I sign up for a crappy service like that? AOL should be the ones getting looked at for anti-competative nature if your going after these things like Media Player from Microsoft...

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  3. The big difference between the US & EU cases by jd · · Score: 5, Insightful
    The European Union, according to CNN, can only fine Microsoft. They cannot exact any punishment to prevent future abuses. Further, the greatest fine they can impose is 10% of the revenue from Europe.


    In short, Microsoft doesn't NEED to give a damn about the verdict. 10% of what they earn in Europe is probably less than the day-to-day changes in their share price value.


    All in all, this is a show-trial (the EU wants to go "free/open" and this is a great excuse for a public flogging to justify it), but where Microsoft is probably more than happy to provide the show.

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  4. Re:Ludicrous... Maybe not... by PygmySurfer · · Score: 4, Insightful

    Maybe if Real Player wasn't an obtrusive, annoying piece of Spyware, it would be installed on more desktops.

    I refuse to install it, for several reasons.

    1. It's intrusive - you have to enter your email address, postal code, etc.
    2. It slows your system down with all the crap it loads (ie StartCenter)
    3. It crashes constantly. And when StartCenter is enabled, it causes the system to crash constantly. I don't know how many times I've had people in the office complain about their computers crashing all the time, which I remedied by removing StartCenter.

    Instead of whining about MS' bundling practices, perhaps Real should work on improving their product, and removing some of the Spyware components from it.

    After all, I don't use Windows Media Player for MP3s. Winamp does that quite nicely.

  5. The bootloader question. by TangoCharlie · · Score: 5, Interesting

    Has anyone put the bootloader situation forward as an example of Microsoft abusing its monopoly situation? This is the situation where Microsoft can DEMAND that OEM's put Windows and only Windows on PC's. Microsoft explicitly forbids them from dual-booting... allegedly. This point has been raised recently with regards to the BeOS case. The problem is that there is little evidence because the licenses between Microsoft and the OEM's are secret. This is the real scandal, not the browser, media player issue.

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