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Microsoft Threatens To Withdraw Windows in S.Korea

Posted by Zonk on from the that-won't-lead-to-piracy-at-all dept.

RocketJeff writes "South Korea's Fair Trade Commission (FTC) has been investigating Microsoft since 2001 for violations of South Korea's antitrust rules. According to a Reuters article, part of a recent Microsoft regulatory filing states 'it might be necessary to withdraw Windows from the Korean market or delay offering new versions in Korea.' Basically, Microsoft is threatening to take their marbles and go home if they don't get the ruling they want."

17 of 536 comments (clear)

  1. Good strategy by It+doesn't+come+easy · · Score: 5, Funny

    Right...that should convince the South Korean government (and the rest of the world) that they're not an abusive monopoly.

    --
    The NSA: The only part of the US government that actually listens.
    1. Re:Good strategy by Tester · · Score: 5, Insightful

      Gaming is fairly big in SK also, somehow I think 'it runs on WINE' isn't going to fly.

      But it runs on the Playstation probably is.. Its also a huge market for games, so this might make people write/port their games to non-Microsoft operation systems..

    2. Re:Good strategy by jacen_sunstrider · · Score: 5, Funny

      Eventually?

  2. Oh, that's fine! That's fine! by Mayhem178 · · Score: 5, Funny

    Screw you guys! I'm going home!

    --

    "You will pay for your lack of vision..." - Emperor Palpatine to Ray Charles

  3. In Korea by faqmaster · · Score: 5, Funny

    Only old people use Windows in Korea.

    --
    Are you...Are you some kind of genius?
    No, ma'am, I'm just a regular Slashdot reader.
  4. Deep Thought said it best by Verteiron · · Score: 5, Funny

    "And who will that inconvenience?"

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    End of lesson. You may press the button.
  5. Their software by MrDoh1 · · Score: 5, Insightful

    It's their software, shouldn't they be able to sell it or not sell it where they wish?

    --
    I am Homer of Borg. Resistance is Fut.. Mmmmmmmm, Donuts!
    1. Re:Their software by filtur · · Score: 5, Funny

      It's their software, shouldn't they be able to sell it or not sell it where they wish?

      Of course not!! (You must be new here)

    2. Re:Their software by k98sven · · Score: 5, Insightful

      It's their software, shouldn't they be able to sell it or not sell it where they wish?

      Nobody said otherwise. (I now take a step back to avoid being hit by the falling straw-man)

      It's very simple. Microsoft doesn't have to sell their software in Korea if they don't want to. Although they'd probably not be able to stop it, since it could be imported via a third country.

      But if Microsoft does want to sell their product in Korea, they have to follow the rules and laws passed by the Korean government. It's as simple as that. Bitching about (in your mind) unfair laws might be okay if South Korea was a dictatorship, but it's not. South Korea is a democracy. Those laws have the support of their people.

      Or are you simply some imperialist who believe you know what's better for them than they do?

      Besides which, Microsoft isn't going to get out of Korea. They can't afford to. Not because of the money, but because it would create the incentive for them to switch. There are nearly 50 million people in South Korea. Whatever platform they moved to (Linux, Mac), it would be a huge boost for that platform, which would mean a much larger strategic loss for Microsoft than it would in terms of Windows licenses.

      Microsoft needs to sustain it's monopoly to survive. Why do you think they're fighting the OpenDocument format so hard? They need to stop other platforms from becoming viable alternatives. And a large modern nation like Korea certainly has the resources to do so.

  6. And ... by jmartens · · Score: 5, Funny

    South Korea prepares a heart felt thank you letter.

    --
    Now that's a death ray!
    1. Re:And ... by ackthpt · · Score: 5, Funny
      South Korea prepares a heart felt thank you letter.

      Meanwhile, North Korea issued a Cease and Desist letter to Microsoft, claiming unlawful infringement of their strong arm and enigmatic negotiating policies.

      --

      A feeling of having made the same mistake before: Deja Foobar
  7. Funny, that by JudicatorX · · Score: 5, Insightful

    the headline below this is "Why do people switch to Linux?"

    --
    "It is a good divine that follows his own instructions" - Portia, The Merchant of Venice
  8. An answer to a question? by ackthpt · · Score: 5, Funny
    I guess there's an answer here to the question "Linux: Why Do People Switch To Linux?"

    "So Korea, why did you switch to Linux?"

    Korea: "For a variety of reasons. First, Microsoft violated many of my anti-trust regulations. Second, because it is foreign owned and controlled, even it their home country is one of my allies. Third, TCO is very high. Fourth, I have had many security and quality issues with their Jack-of-all-trades-master-of-none operating system. Fifth, Microsoft in response to the charges had threatened to slow or not at all release new products. And finally, because they took their marbles and went home."

    "Their marbles?"

    Korea: "Yes, I'm very disappointed, they had some very pretty catseyes and peeries."

    "If the KFTC enters an order requiring Microsoft to remove code or redesign Windows uniquely for the Korean market, it might be necessary to withdraw Windows from the Korean market or delay offering new versions in Korea," Microsoft said in a U.S. regulatory filing on Thursday.
    Man. Are these people lazy, greedy or what? An entire country, with a considerably strong economy that DEC, Pr1me, Unisys, etc. would absolutely have sold their souls for. Microsoft can't have it their way so they're going to pull out. Blimey.
    --

    A feeling of having made the same mistake before: Deja Foobar
  9. Good strategy by Microsoft by Monkey · · Score: 5, Funny

    This is a clever strategy on the part of Microsoft. The Koreans will be brought to their knees when they realize they need Windows to play Starcraft.

  10. Nothing to see here.. by Pudusplat · · Score: 5, Insightful
    "If the KFTC enters an order requiring Microsoft to remove code or redesign Windows uniquely for the Korean market, it might be necessary to withdraw Windows from the Korean market or delay offering new versions in Korea,"


    So, if I'm reading it right, Microsoft is saying that they will either not release a "special" version of windows for S. Korea, or that releases will be delayed (presumably to create the modifications required by their Anti-Trust regulations).

    This seems perfectly reasonable. They're not even saying they will necessarily pull windows from the market, it might just take them longer to develop the "MS Vista - S. Korea Version" than it would to release the standard. Nothing to see here... more Microsoft non-news.

    Plus, if S. Korea is saying "play nice" and they say "no" outright, this is still well within their rights, there is no mandate that they must release software for the masses (In fact, SlashThink directly opposes this). More power to S. Korea if they think they can actually pull that off...
    --
    "If you put butter and salt on it, it tastes like salty butter." -Terry Pratchet, on Popcorn.
  11. Right... by ILikeRed · · Score: 5, Funny

    SCO is just the picture of normalcy.

    Now if only we could get them to pull their products from the US, I would be happy.

    --
    I have come to a conclusion that one useless man is a shame, two is a law firm, and three or more is a congress -J Adams
  12. The way I see it..... by 8127972 · · Score: 5, Insightful

    There are three possible explanations:

    1. Microsoft doesn't make a lot of money in South Korea, so they don't care if they're there or not.

    2. This is just a stunt better used by an 8 year old rather than a mult-billion dollar software company.

    3. Microsoft is desperate to hold on to its domination of the planet earth. After all, when you control over 90% of the desktops on earth there's nowhere to go but down.

    --
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