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EU Says Microsoft Still Not Compliant
what about writes "News.com is reporting that the European Union still doesn't consider Microsoft in compliance with its anti-trust ruling." From the article: "Should the Commission issue a final decision against Microsoft, the software giant would face a retroactive fine of $2.36 million a day for the period between Dec. 15 and the date the final decision is issued. The Commission may then take additional steps to extend the daily fine until Microsoft complies with the order. The Commission's letter is just the latest action it has taken in the closely watched antitrust case. "
This is a money grabbing shakedown that would've made Kafka proud. Don't tell the accused why he is "not compliant" just declare that he isn't. No matter what Microsoft provides, the EU will say that they're not complying. To ensure this, they don't even bother to tell Microsoft what's wrong with what they've provided because they don't want Microsoft to be able to comply.
EU: We order you to provide documentation specifying how to let non-Windows clients work with Windows servers just as well as Windows clients can, or else face massive fines.
MS: OK, here's 12000 pages of documentation.
EU: It's not good enough.
MS: What's wrong with it? What parts are unclear?
EU: That's for us to know and you to find out. You're still facing massive fines.
MS: OK, we don't know what your problem is with the documents, but we'll now offer 500 free hours of tech support to any dev that doesn't understand the documents.
EU: Not good enough. You're still facing massive fines.
MS: OK, we still don't now why you can't understand the documents, but we now offer the source code to those devs that can't get this stuff to work even after reading the documents and getting 500 free hours of tech support.
EU: Not good enough. You're still facing fines.
MS:How about telling us exactly what's wrong with the documents so we can address the problems?
EU (with euro-signs dancing in their eyes): As we said before, the problems with the documents are for us to know and you to find out. Prepare to be fined.
-- "I never gave these stories much credence." - HAL 9000
Ok I realize we are supposed to hate MS here, but you know what? I'm sick of the EU's constant whining. Maybe Bill lined the pockets of the US govt, but MS did things to help resolve this and even did totally stupid things like un-bundle the media player just for the EU. WTF good is an OS without an included media player? I think it is time for the EU to stuff it and move on.
On the topic of bias'..."Yea open source, yea linux, boo windows" is not the answer just the same as the total opposite is not the answer. Each thing is a tool for a solution. I work for one of the largest companies in the world and I think that Windows is rightly our standard desktop. I also think that Linux is ideal for server side solutions as well. Both have their uses. Neither one is perfect.
For the reccord I use Mac's at home, am an Apple and Microsoft shareholder and a US citizen.
-Xen
This is getting to be absurd. It's nothing but anti-american feelings in europe being taken out on Microsoft.
I like to bash microsoft as much as the next guy, but it's been taken too far. I hope microsoft tells them to fuck off and pulls their products from all of Europe.
It's pretty much a guarantee that Europe would for some period of time be entirely crippled if Microsoft made it impossible to get a product in the countries. Not a copy of windows, not an OEM copy of windows or office, no support, no security patches, nothing. I suppose all the consumer electronics stores would have to close their doors, then companies and governments would start having to do massive transitions to Linux.
Although that would never happen, becuase after about an hour they would come back to microsoft crying and begging for forgiveness.
Didn't anyone ever teach them not to taunt the giant? Sure microsoft is trying to play nice, it's in their best interest, but that doesn't change the fact that they wield unimaginable power.
Big ones, small ones, some as big as yer 'ead!
Give 'em a twist, a flick o' the wrist...
To counter your points:
1. Perhaps the EU is a larger market space than the US - that's not subject to debate. What is up for discussion here is the EU subjecting a corporation to change their practices simply because other ventures are unable to parallel.
2. Is it OK for Americans to whine - YES - There have not been any fines for Japanese cap manufacturers imposed here, or at least none that I know if. In fact - the decrase in US car sales is pushing US car manufacturers to be more competitive - a great thing for the car marketplace.
3. Were Boeing or Airbus ever fined or forced to share their competitive techniques with competitors?
4. I use a MAC, almost never Windows, so I'm not a pro-Windows by any means - but considering the volume of applications that exist for Windows, you'd have to form the opinion that the API's must be very much so "open" and "well documented". Why on earth should Microsoft be forced to remove elements of Windows simply because some other companies are jealous? I mean, Windows is a product, right? Why shouldn't Microsoft be able to do whatever they want with thir product? If people don't want it - don't buy it! On the same level - remove "grep" from commercial distros of Linux please, it is hindering my crappy home made search code from becomming mainstream!
5. Open source, closed source - I don't really care, again, that's not really the discussion, from what I've heard it's just what Microsoft volunteered to give up. If people don't want to make money from Software, then they distribute freeware - fine. If people don't want to spend money on software then the get Linux or something. Either choices are fine, but for the EU to force a corporation to modify it's product under these circumstances is perposterous. There are countless other media programs and browsers that are thriving - there is no case here for anti-trust, only lack of competence from those that wish their programs were making them more money, or bitter competitors of Microsoft - and of course the EU.
And I say this as a European - they should not be touching this one. They are simply greedy.