Slashdot Mirror

← Back to Stories (view on slashdot.org)

Microsoft Makes EU Dispute Docs Public

Posted by ryuzaki0 on from the what-was-this-all-about dept.

mjdroner writes "ZDNet is reporting that Microsoft has posted confidential documents used in its defense of European Commission antitrust practices related to server software. Explaining the posting of the documents, which the EC considers confidential, a Microsoft rep said, 'Transparency is vitally important in what can be a very opaque process in Brussels.'"

10 of 227 comments (clear)

  1. ask a billion people by yagu · · Score: 4, Interesting

    If you can't get the opinion or results you want from the commission, throw it out to the public and see if you can generate a groundswell of support.

    I think this is what Microsoft hopes to do. I doubt they'll succeed.

    From The Fine Article (emphasis mine):

    But a Commission monitoring trustee, one of several nominated by Microsoft, as well as competitors and a technical review committee gave Microsoft's documentation scathing reviews. The trustee called it "fundamentally flawed. "

    The commission isn't buying Microsoft's protest, the "buying" public won't either.

    What's interesting though is just in sheer numbers, Microsoft will find empathy, support, and voices to support their claim they're being treated unfairly.

  2. Two can play at that game... by advocate_one · · Score: 4, Insightful

    I'm pretty sure Microsoft won't want the evidence that the EU commission holds to come out in public...

    --
    Donald 'Duck' Dunn: We had a band powerful enough to turn goat piss into gasoline.
  3. Aim, Shoot Foot !! by Akoma+The+Immortal · · Score: 5, Interesting

    Ho Boy, Ho Boy,

    The battle is heating up. I can see now that the UE have the moral incensitive to switch their document to OpenDocument in the near future.

    I Hope they do.

    --
    assert(expired(knowldege)); core dump
  4. Put another way by overshoot · · Score: 4, Insightful
    1. Microsoft wants to put their version before the public while the ECC is stuck keeping much of theirs under confidentiality wraps.
    2. Microsoft has decided that there's no remaining downside to flipping the ECC the bird.

    Conclusion: go for it.

    --
    Lacking <sarcasm> tags, /. substitutes moderation as "Troll."
  5. Sauce for the Goose by pmc · · Score: 4, Insightful

    'Transparency is vitally important in what can be a very opaque process in Brussels

    But apparently transparency is not vitally important for APIs.

  6. Can't believe it! by malsdavis · · Score: 4, Insightful

    "Transparency is vitally important in what can be a very opaque process in Brussels."

    I don't believe what I'm reading! Since when have Microsoft been interested in transparancy and openness. This is the same company that calls Open Source Softare an evil communist cancer. The same company which held secret dodgy meetings with the Republican administration which saw the US government change its mind from wanting to split up the company to wanting to give it a light slap on the wrist.

    And now they want transparancy. Talk about double standards!

    1. Re:Can't believe it! by tibike77 · · Score: 4, Insightful

      And this one here was also priceless... "More broadly, the company suggested the Commission could look at the process used in the United States, where a court also found that Microsoft had violated antitrust law."

      RIGHT. Excuse me for being an European and LAUGHING my ass off each and EVERY time I hear about ANOTHER idiotic legal experience from the USA. Next time I hear somebody start saying "US Legal system is better in/because/...", I'll just hit him over the head with a large brick and let him TRY to sue me.

      --
      By reading this signature you agree to not disagree with the post you just read.
  7. Re:transparency FTW by timeOday · · Score: 4, Insightful
    Selectively releasing private corresondence that is flattering to you, after editing out anything you'd prefer stayed secret (RTA), doesn't really qualify as "transparency" in my book.

    If Microsoft is such a fan of transparency, maybe the EU should release all the correspondence in full, including the Microsoft "business secrets." (But of course, then Microsoft would throw a legal hissy fit.)

  8. The quality of trolling by A+nonymous+Coward · · Score: 4, Insightful

    Seems none of you remembers the usenet oracle, more's the pity.

    Aside from that, Microsoft has burnt zillions of people zillions of times. It is their corporate culture. Anyone who doubts that is beyond belief and beyond relief. Anyone who asks why this particular action, or any action, by Microsoft is seen in a less than favourable light is either so wet behind the ears as to be drowning, or a troll; when was the last announcement by Microsoft that was anything but disingenuous? Since drowning people are seldom found pecking away naive questions on keyboards, it is a pretty safe bet that we are dealing with a troll.

    --
    Infuriate left and right
  9. Re:Fool me once, shame on you by Richard+Steiner · · Score: 4, Insightful

    Because most of the time the accusation is correct.

    --
    Mainframe/UNIX Bit Twiddler and long time Windows/Linux Hobbyist.
    The Theorem Theorem: If If, Then Then.