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Mario Monti Fines Microsoft 100 Million?
n3k5 writes "EU competition commissioner Mario Monti has been in the news a lot lately, following "[...] a preliminary decision that Microsoft is breaking European law by abusing its dominant position in the personal computers' market. However, [the Commission] needs to carry out a series of consultations before finalising its verdict, due by May 1." (Financial Times article) The latest articles all cite German magazine FOCUS, which reports in its current issue that, according to "informed" EU sources, the Commission is considering imposing a record fine of EUR 100,000,000 (USD 123,840,000) on Microsoft. "Amelia Torries, a spokeswoman for Monti, dismissed the report as 'pure and utter speculation.'" (Channel NewsAsia article)"
...welcome our new first-posting Microsoft-suing overlords!
That'll teach'em.
Microsoft replied... "Cash or Check?"
Objects in the blog are closer then they ap
EU: We fine you ... One hundred ... million dollars (pinky finger to the lip)
Microsoft Board : bwahahahaahhaahahahah
They may also wish these 100M to be paid in windows licenses, preferably to use in schools.
Legal fees: $5,000,000
1.2% of quarterly revenue: $120,000,000
Settling a lawsuit which slows your progress towards Complete World Domination: Priceless
Some things money can't buy. Everything else will soon be owned by Microsoft.
Amelia Torries, a spokeswoman for Monti, dismissed the report as 'pure and utter speculation.'
But I heard it on Slashdot! It must be true!
following the EU's decision to let Microsoft off on a good behaviour bond, the EU will deploy 50,000 Windows clients and 800 Windows 2k3 servers in a five year deal with Microsoft. Terms could not be disclosed on grounds of commercial confidentiality. Microsoft will also be providing five free copies of Office XP to schools throughout the EU.
Ohhh... nasty... fined ~$0.30 for each person in the EU...
Slap another two zeros on that and you would be talking about a serious fine.
OK, $000.30 or $0.3000. Seems to be the same amount. What am I missing?
A fine under a billion dollars is a round-off error to Microsoft.
Misappropriate it like any politician would?
slashdot, news for crazed liberal socialist zealots
Microsoft owe me forty quid from November and it's like getting blood out of a stone.
"Yes, a hundred million"
"Whew ... for a second I thought you said a hundred billion ..."
The Raven
Judge: "100 million Euros!" [Touches pinkie to corner of mouth.]
Sheesh, evil *and* a jerk. -- Jade
You may jest! Wait for the follow up article where Monti raises his pinky finger to his face and demands one hundred billion dollars! ;)
--- Commission free trading & free stock up to $500 - use http://share.robinhood.com/kelvinp6
Flunkie: Mr Gates the EU is fining us 100 million Euros ... ... no response ... ... ... ... OK, there you go ... 100 million!
Gates:
Flunkie: Mr. Gates, did you hear me; 100 million!
Gates: Yeah, yeah, hold on a sec
Flunkie: Ummm, Mr. Gates
Gates: Hang on, I've got one more sofa cushion to go
[Insert pithy quote here]
but you'd be surprised how many Americans' idea of European legal precedents is based on Hollywood action movies.
Don't take it personally. Our idea of American legal precedents is based on hollywood action movies too.
However, [the Commission] needs to carry out a series of consultations before finalising its verdict, due by May 1.
Cost of french budged deficit 32M Euro
;-) (meaning: Italian Europarliament members wont have to worry about their paycheck being cut in one third just like their coleages)
Cost of german budged deficit 47M Euro
Cost of farming subsidies of countries joining the EU 24BM Euro
Grand total (AKA fine for microsoft> 0.1B
3. Profit
Have you looked at the exchange rate between dollars and euros lately? At this rate, by the time MS needs to pay up, 100 million euros may actually cost $1b!
Mario Monti: "...one hundred MILLION dollars...muhahahaha..."
Bill Gates: [yawn]