Slashdot Mirror
EU Fines Microsoft $613 Million, Officially
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.
Is that real money for Billy G? Don't think so!
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All my submissions to Slashdot rejected... and proud of it!
Will it actually hurt them? (hopefully)
Ouch!
What a loser.
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!
Microsoft hit by record EU fine
Microsoft is to appeal against the EU's decision
Software giant Microsoft must pay a fine of 497m euros ($613m; 331m) for abusing its dominant market position, the EU has ordered.
EU Competition Commissioner Mario Monti also insisted Microsoft must reveal secrets of its Windows software, which sits on 90% of the world's PCs.
The European Commission approved Microsoft's punishment on Wednesday.
Microsoft has already said it will appeal, kicking off a legal battle that could last years.
Mr Monti said he was confident "that we have produced here a decision that will stand before any appeal".
Microsoft has a cash pile of more than $50bn, so even a fine on this scale - a record for the EU in an antitrust case - is unlikely to hurt it commercially.
Battle lines
Industry experts say that the non-financial penalties are likely to hurt Microsoft more by opening it to further challenges and altering the regulatory environment it operates in.
Mr Monti has ordered Microsoft to reveal details of its Windows software codes within 120 days, to make it easier for rivals to design compatible products.
Microsoft must offer a stripped-down version of its Windows operating system minus the firm's MediaPlayer audiovisual software within 90 days.
Microsoft will still be allowed to sell Windows with Media Player bundled in.
Announcing the penalties, Mr Monti said they restored the conditions for fair competition in the software market.
"Dominant companies have a special responsibility to ensure that the way they do business doesn't prevent competition...and does not harm consumers and innovation," he said.
More transparent Windows
By setting limits on Microsoft's practice of bundling software and services with its Windows operating system, Mr Monti has struck a blow against a key part of the software firm's commercial strategy.
He said the Commission would appoint a trustee to make sure Microsoft reveals "complete and accurate" software codes "and that the two versions of Windows are equivalent in terms of performance."
Mr Monti's demand for a more transparent Windows proved the sticking point in failed talks between Microsoft chief executive Steve Ballmer and Mr Monti last week.
The five year EU case was launched after complaints from rival makers of audiovisual software that Microsoft was protecting its own media player and squeezing out others.
Mr Monti said the EU decision did not break new legal ground in either Europe or the US, nor did it expropriate Microsoft's intellectual property.
"Our decision is about protecting consumer choice and stimulating innovation", he told a newsconference.
'Unfair'
Microsoft claims that it should not be fined at all because it did not know its behaviour would breach EU law.
Microsoft spokesman Tom Brookes said the firm believes the settlement it proposed last week "would have been better for European consumers".
The software giant said it would continue to co-operate with the EU but would seek a legal review of the Commission's decision.
The appeal is expected to begin in a Luxembourg court but the legal battle could go all the way to the European Court of Justice.
The fine tops the EU's previous record of 462m euros. That penalty was imposed on pharmaceutical group Roche after a scandal involving price fixing in the vitamin pills market.
Last-ditch talks to agree a settlement between Mr Monti and Microsoft chief executive Steve Ballmer broke down last week.
Following the talks, Mr Monti said: "It is essential to have a precedent which will establish clear principles for the future conduct of a company with such a strong dominant position."
The EU's investigation has found Microsoft to be an "abusive monopolist" which has skewed the market for audiovisual software to the detriment of its rivals.
US is now divided as the "Red" and "blue" states. Red States = communist countries. Coincidence? I think not
Who will be receiving the $$? How was this specific amount decided?
I own a Chrysler and would like to have onstar in it but the is on a Gm thing, Why not make them put it in my Chrysler or take it out of all Gm cars, Yes I believe Ms does something under handed but makeing them remove it it bs. With high speed internet if someone wants one of the other Media players they can download it. If you disagree see example above. Force companys to include things that they don't make is wrong.
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
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.
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.
Any blow against Micro$$oft is a win for open source!
YAY YAY YAY YAY, I am dancing around in circles, drinking champaigne!