Microsoft Source Code Still Not Enough for EU?

wjsteele writes "The BBC is reporting that Microsoft's offer to allow rivals access to its software blueprint may not be enough to prevent European Union action." From the article: "Its offer to open up its software blueprints 'underscored its commitment' to meet the European Commission's demands, Horacio Gutierrez associate general counsel for Microsoft Europe said in a statement. However, Brussels has warned the offer may not go far enough. 'It would be premature to conclude that offering access to source codes would necessarily resolve the problem of compliance," said EU anti-trust spokesman Jonathan Todd.'

Comments

When...

[Eightyford]

When will anti-Microsoft sentiment make way for patriotism? What I mean is, how far is everyone to allow the European Union to go with this? Are they trying to give European developers an unfair advantage?

EU terms

[7macaw]

Give us your source code and free beer for everyone for a year. No, wait, for two years! No, ok, five years and that's it!

Oh yes you fucking would

[madaxe42]

On $100,000 you could live like the maharaja. I'm almost tempted to become an indian programmer. I like farm animals wandering on the roads. I wouldn't live in the states for 4x what I earn now. Have you joined the schutzstaffel^H^H^H^H^H^H^H^H^H^H^H^H citizen corps yet?

When is enough, enough?

[TheSkepticalOptimist]

I mean, can we say irrational here?

The Europe isn't known for global technological brilliance. Sure, perhaps in some areas, but not when it comes to the computer hardware and software industry. Heck, Japan isn't even at the fore front of computer software and technology (my sh*t is mostly made in China these days being designed in the US or even Canada). Its the US which make the world's most popular software, and the world just can't stand that.

So the EU feels the only way for EU companies to compete against Microsoft is to rip off MS source code, come out with a cloned Windows product, and then probably undermine the Windows OS market by offering it dirt cheap, using the SAME ANTI-COMPETITIVE business practices that got Microsoft into trouble. (PS EU, you can do that already for FREE with Linux, get a clue!).

I mean, look at the French/German company trying to rip off Google. When is the EU going to go after Google and force them to post all their development code and trade secrets. Its coming, just wait another year or two, especially if Google doesn't bend over for the EU if they make some smaller demand.

What I feel should happen is Microsoft simply pull out of Europe. Stop selling Windows there, period! I mean, honestly. F*ck the EU! Once Europeans realize they can't get their favourite OS in ANY form, they will pretty much retaliate against the EU and force the EU to let Microsoft do business there, without restriction.

Microsoft is making enough money around the world to hold out and not sell to the EU for a period of time. I don't think it would be long before European computer consumers force the EU to play nice with Micorosft.

I mean, honestly Microsoft doesn't deserve to be played nice with, but at the same time, they suddenly decided to give competitors access to source code, along with 13000 pages of documentation on how to use it. What more does the EU want? It free and handed to them on a silver platter? Get Freakin Real! How about Microsoft just write a competitive OS with 98% of the same source code and hand it over to some French or German or British company and say, "Here you go, NOW can you compete you bloody eurotrash?"