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EU Fines Microsoft $613 Million, Officially

Posted by timothy on from the golden-goose-time dept.

Decaffeinated Jedi writes "As reported by CNN.com, the European Union has hit Microsoft with a record US$613 million fine after a five-year investigation, finding the company guilty of abusing the 'near-monopoly' of the Windows operating system. Microsoft has been given 90 days to make a European version of Windows available without a media player and 120 days to give programming codes to rivals in the server market to allow 'full interoperability' with desktops running Windows. Microsoft plans to appeal the decision." Other readers point to coverage at the BBC, ZDNet, Reuters (here carried by Yahoo!), and abc.au.net.

6 of 1,186 comments (clear)

  1. According to this... by PhuckH34D · · Score: 0, Redundant
    According to this articel (in dutch!) the fine they have to pay is 497,2 Million.
    And they also have to make a version of windows without the media player.

    --
    You're old school? I beta tested the motherf***ing abacus!
  2. whom will they pay? by dharash · · Score: 0, Redundant

    Who will be receiving the $$? How was this specific amount decided?

  3. Cool by mcc · · Score: 0, Redundant

    As regards interoperability, Microsoft is required, within 120 days, to disclose complete and accurate interface documentation which would allow non-Microsoft work group servers to achieve full interoperability with Windows PCs and servers. This will enable rival vendors to develop products that can compete on a level playing field in the work group server operating system market. The disclosed information will have to be updated each time Microsoft brings to the market new versions of its relevant products.

    Nice. This isn't the Holy Grail that would allow for full Wine compatibility, but this should do absolutely wonderful things for Samba...

    --
    Irritable, left-wing and possibly humorous bumper stickers and t-shirts
  4. Re:Money? by SpaceLifeForm · · Score: 0, Redundant
    It may be pennies to MS, but they are stubborn and have bought off another politician to spew BS.
    From the Toronto Star

    "This ruling is yet another example of the EU assaulting a successful American industry and policies that support our economic growth," said U.S. Senator Patty Murray, a Democrat from Microsoft's home state, Washington.

    --
    You are being MICROattacked, from various angles, in a SOFT manner.
  5. Re:Free as in "get out of my face" by jejones · · Score: 0, Redundant

    What happened to the notion of freedom, so rarely espoused or valued on Slashdot, of freedom from government intervention?

    There's competition by making a better product, and there's competition by bombing your competitor's factory or lying about your competitor's product. The former is OK. The latter is not.

    Look--I'm a libertarian, and would like nothing better than to see the government constrained to its proper role, but even libertarians object to the classic two improper actions, fraud and initiation of force. IMHO, MS has in at least one famous case (the bogus error message when Windows found itself running atop DR-DOS) engaged in fraud.

  6. this is a victory for open source software!!! by Miserkordi · · Score: 0, Redundant

    Any blow against Micro$$oft is a win for open source!

    YAY YAY YAY YAY, I am dancing around in circles, drinking champaigne!