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EU satisfied With Microsoft's Antitrust Plan

Posted by timothy on from the yeah-that's-ok-then dept.

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."

8 of 120 comments (clear)

  1. Industry Abuse by TripMaster+Monkey · · Score: 4, Funny


    The next step is for the proposal to be "market tested" with other industry players before a final assessment is given by the EU.

    (Some time in the future...)


    EU: OK...our market testing period is over....what do you say, other industry players?

    Other Industry Players: (cringing under a withering stare from Microsoft) Oh yes...the proposal is very reasonable...most acceptable...

    EU: Are you OK? What happened to your face?

    M$: He fell down some stairs.

    OIP: (stammering) I fell down some stairs.

    ^_^
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    ~ |rip/\/\aster /\/\onkey

  2. Re:Huh? by Uruk · · Score: 4, Informative

    The fine applies if they can't come to an agreement about the way to fix the issue. The way I read the article, it's not that they are currently dodging the fine, it's that the fine doesn't apply unless a set of conditions are met, and they're trying to avoid meeting that set of conditions, by putting together a different agreement with the EU that supposedly everybody can live with.

    From the article:

    The U.S. software giant could be hit with a fine of up to $5 million a day if the European Commission concludes that its proposals would not allow non-Microsoft work group servers to achieve full interoperability with Windows PC and servers.

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    -- Truth goes out the door when rumor comes innuendo. -- Groucho Marx
  3. Clarifying Register article by MathFox · · Score: 5, Informative
    The Register has an interesting article with a quote from the EU commissioner:
    "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."
    So, MS's problems are not over yet!
    --
    extern warranty;
    main()
    {
    (void)warranty;
    }
  4. Slap on the wrist by mcc · · Score: 5, Insightful
    But the EU executive voiced satisfaction with Microsoft's proposed solution -- even though the sticky question of "open source" licenses was not fully resolved -- and said the plan would now be put to industry peers for their opinion.
    1. Gradually and systematically remove all your competitors from the market, except the open source ones.
    2. Gain freedom from regulators by agreeing to cooperate with your competitors, except the open source ones.
    3. ???
    4. Profit
    The ???, in case you're wondering, stands for "artificial barriers to entry".

    I can only hope they count SUSE as an "industry peer"...
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    Irritable, left-wing and possibly humorous bumper stickers and t-shirts
  5. How much do you want to bet.... by suman28 · · Score: 5, Interesting

    "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.

  6. Communication standard are like language by what+about · · Score: 3, Interesting

    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.

  7. Re:Huh? by JamesTRexx · · Score: 3, Insightful

    If he did that MS would lose a whole lot more than just the European market. The EU would pour a lot of money into development of OSS and maybe in a year or less you'd have your "desktop" BSD and GNU/Linux. Software companies all over the world would start porting their software to OSS platforms. And at that point the rest of the world would ask themselves why'd they pay for MS software when they can get most of the same for free. Although I see this thing happening anyway, MS doesn't want to speed up the process so they comply.

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    home
  8. EU Satisfied???? by Inzkeeper · · Score: 3, Insightful

    The article title is too funny!
    Compare that to other news sites:
    TheReg/Tom's: MS and EU inch towards agreement
    InternetNews: Microsoft And Europe Getting Closer
    Groklaw: Microsoft is still sparring with the EU Commission

    Does that sound like the EU is satisfied?
    [IRONY] What kinda pro-MS rag is this?! [/IRONY]