Microsoft and EU Talks End

Paul Longford writes "Microsoft talks with the EC have collapsed. The competition commisioner Mario Monti just made this statement in which he said: 'I'd just like to inform you that a settlement on the Microsoft case has not been possible. I therefore intend to propose to my colleagues in the Commission next Wednesday to adopt a decision, which has already received the unanimous backing of Member States.' This is bad news for Microsoft - it looking at a considerable fine and possibly being forced to open up Windows. It looks like it will be a harsh decision too. Monti says: 'In the end, I had to decide what was best for competition and consumers in Europe. I believe they will be better served with a decision that creates a strong precedent.'"

Comments

Where's the Microsoft website URL then?

[gilesjuk]

I'm sure they have some website about how this is "preventing us from competing" and "stifling our innovation".

Even if they do get fined they will keep appealing, they've got the money to keep trying. They've got the money to "sweeten" a few EU MEPs. I'm fairly surprised the EU has done this given how they suck up to big business.

Re:Harsh?!? Opening?

[Tomji]

I'd rather not be forced to have my Windows "open" to what I consider viral Real and Quicktime Software

This is justice?

[FullCircle]

Up to 1bn in fines? Exactly how much money did they make by being corrupt?

This makes breaking the law sound like a good return on investment. I'm sure that any other company would gladly pay 1bn to have control of 95% of all computers.

It is better than the US DOJ letting Microsoft pick their punishment, but come on.

Checks and Balances

[N8F8]

I'm starting to worry that the EU doesn't have enough Checks and Balances at the federal level. Sure MS may be considered anti-competitive in the area, but the EU seems only too willing to abuse regulation asa tool of striking back at outside competion. Or as U.S. Assistant Attorney General Charles James put it after the GE/Honeywell merger decision,

"We appear to have reached different results from similar assessments of competitive conditions in the affected markets," he said. "Clear and longstanding U.S. antitrust policy holds that the antitrust laws protect competition, not competitors. Today's EU decision reflects a significant point of divergence."

Re:It's about time.

[plugger]

So long as the compiler-compiler was clean in the first place. There would still be room for conspiracy theories.

Re:EU now decides how US companies do business

[no soup for you]

Now we are being told to accept that the EU now decides how US companies do business WITH ONE ANOTHER. Getting a little too big for their britches.

Hey, I hate Europe as much as the next necent human being, but they're not telling microsoft how to sell their product in America / Lagos / Indonesia / insert_random_place_here. They're saying, if you're going to sell in Europe, you will follow europe's rules.

hmmmm

[McCarrum]

"a strong precedent"

I like the sounds of them words!

Re:"Competition" = DoubleSpeak

[Begossi]

Heya Bill, boring day at work?

Re:Ding Dong the Witch is Dead..

[minus_273]

you brave little european, still posting as an AC i see. you are french arent you?

Re:It's about time.

[flacco]

Maybe if you were a little less dogmatic and a little more pragmatic about which technologies you're willing to learn, you wouldn't still be searching the jobs in your area..

i agree 100%! to take your point a little further, you could make even more money if you were willing to suck off wealthy older gentlemen on Sunset Boulevard.

Trying my best to find elegant, clean ways to solve the problem at hand no matter what the language or support technology is -- that's where the challenge and fun lies.

once again, you're dead-on. just like Kurt Bischoff's excellent work - he didn't waste cycles on context, he just put his mind to finding the best solution to the problem handed to him. you know, when he designed auschwitz.

Adaptability is a good thing.

it's not the only good thing.