Slashdot Mirror
EU satisfied With Microsoft's Antitrust Plan
rcrc writes "According to Reuters, Microsoft's proposal to avoid paying a fine of $5 million a day has almost been approved by the European Union in a long-running antitrust case. The case deals with the interoperability between the Windows PC and servers. The next step is for the proposal to be "market tested" with other industry players before a final assessment is given by the EU."
The fine is question was related to Microsoft's Proposal for implementing the changes that the EU requested. They had until June 1st to submit said proposal or face a "late" fine.
They've already been fined almost 500 million Euros for their original Monopoloy conviction.
"I remain determined to ensure that all elements of the Decision are properly implemented. This includes the ability for developers of open source software to take advantage of the remedy." How much do you want to bet that this issue will slowly be pushed into the background and eventually disappear? Microsoft has always found a way out of such situations.
I am from Romania, a country scheduled for EU integration in 2007. I might see that my bitter-sweet joke wasn't interpreted as it should. We'd like to have a strong EU, but unfortunately the western europeans are scared by the integration problems ... on the short term, the Eastern-Europeans will invade their workplaces, and thus unemployment will be higher ... however, in the long term, a strong EU will help Europe compete with USA and China. Anyway - Romania will probably be delayed one year... We'll live and see.
What would you think if some big company asked you to "licence" the right to talk English, or French, or Chineese ?
Well, this is what Microsoft is doing. You want to talk with Microsoft ? then you have to "licence".
Even better similarity. A Company creates a new language and slowly have half of the world speak it. For the other half of the world you have to "licence" the fact that you can talk that new language.