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EU Says Microsoft Still Not Compliant

Posted by ryuzaki0 on from the comply-with-this dept.

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. "

11 of 339 comments (clear)

  1. Is 2.36 million a day by RedHatLinux · · Score: 4, Interesting

    enough of a fine to make breaking the law an unprofitable method of doing business? I doubt it, given how much money Microsoft has saved up.

    1. Re:Is 2.36 million a day by Overly+Critical+Guy · · Score: 5, Interesting

      Microsoft had really better tone itself down for the EU. The EU's not going to let some big American company get pushy, and with the recent news of OSS in Europe, as well as the fact Apple is now #1 in the UK education market (passing Dell at #2), someone at Microsoft needs to just comply with what the EU wants. It's not worth the consequences. Tech is fickle, and just because Microsoft has a huge monopoly now doesn't mean it won't become irrelevant in a month.

      --
      "Sufferin' succotash."
    2. Re:Is 2.36 million a day by Overly+Critical+Guy · · Score: 3, Interesting

      It's not about money, it's about losing ground to other companies who are quite happy to play friendly with the EU. Paying big fines wouldn't sit well with shareholders either.

      --
      "Sufferin' succotash."
    3. Re:Is 2.36 million a day by mormop · · Score: 4, Interesting

      From Gartner:

      Apple has confirmed that it's taken the number one spot in the western European education market.
      Apple's education market share in western Europe is now 15.2 per cent, relegating Dell, with 14.7 per cent, to second place.

      If Apple owns 15.2% of the EU market that leaves 84.8% that are running Windows minus the small percentage that are running Linux. It's all very well putting Apple in the number 1 PC vendor spot but the Windows share is Dell plus any number of other Intel/MS manufacturers plus schools that build their own and use site wide volume licences etc.

      Without wishing to piss on the Apple parade, MS are still the number 1 OS in education. Believe me, I wish it were otherwise as I've spent some time putting Linux/Samba in place of a school's NT network and I soooooooo want to run Linux clients but there's just so much curriculum software for Windows that can't be replaced with what's available for Linux/MAC.

      On the other hand, I don't see how MS can win this one. The validity of their licences in the EU only holds because EU law supports them. If MS take the piss it only needs shrink wrapped licences to be declared invalid and MS are bolloxed.

      The EU could also change competition law and make the max daily fine 10 million or 10 billion. If MS threaten to pull out of Europe you can look at it two ways, 1 - a disaster that could hurt the European economy or 2 - an opportunity for the birth of a whole new European software industry. OK so start the flames but at the end of the day there are many people who have stomped out of their workplace convinced that the company that's treated them so badly will suffer only to find that after a short period of readjustment the company forgets they even existed.

      In the event of MS exiting Europe you can expect to see many of today's Linux geeks being tomorrows training company millionaires. Roll it on, that's what I say.

      --
      Hmmmmmm..... Deep fried and look like Squirrel.
    4. Re:Is 2.36 million a day by diegocgteleline.es · · Score: 3, Interesting

      MS are still the number 1 OS in education

      I'm not shocked, here in Spain (and everywhere) the public schools are teaching windows/office on computer classes to all kids.

      I mean, public schools are wasting lots of millions in making people learn microsoft-only technologies, and Microsoft is not wasting a single pennie on educating them.

      "Public schools - monopolize yourself (tm)"

    5. Re:Is 2.36 million a day by rtb61 · · Score: 3, Interesting
      Microsoft has money, the government has law, microsoft's money only last a long as the government acknowledges it's existince or until a governemtn legislates to take it.

      Microsoft certainly can effectively use it's money as a weapon against other private companies and it certainly can gain a lot of influence with some goverments around the world, however when it comes to other governments it must toe the line just like the corner store or suffer the consequences.

      It has already pushed to far, behaved like an ugly American company, all it can do now is tone down it's defence and basically shut up and take what is coming. Microsoft is to stubborn to do that and will instead continue pushing and make more nonsence demands and end up doing nothing but creating a more hostile EU and further aggravate the court.

      --
      Chaos - everything, everywhere, everywhen
  2. Re:May be risky, but... by A+beautiful+mind · · Score: 3, Interesting

    "Stop selling products in Europe."

    Yay! I'd actually be very happy about that decision. Anyone who uses windows for home mostly pirates it here, but the government would be forced to not buy the overpriced Windows any more (The government here also bought windows licenses for everyone in higher education - they could axe that too!).

    Hurray for EU!

    --
    It takes a man to suffer ignorance and smile
    Be yourself no matter what they say
  3. Re:May be risky, but... by DataCannibal · · Score: 5, Interesting

    Deny tech support to companies/users in Europe.

    yes, imagine the backlash as thousands of companies in Europe start suing Microsoft for breach of contract when MS refuses them support. That ought to go down well with the shareholders.

    +5 insightful, fuck off! This guy has no idea what he's talking about.

    --
    No but, yeah but, no but...
  4. Re:May be risky, but... by McGiraf · · Score: 3, Interesting

    That would be more that risky, it would be suicide.

    Everybody in EU would start looking for altenatives to Windows and some of them would even find better solutions than what the had with windows.

    And for those who would'nt find an avaiable replacement that meets their requiement there would be hundreads of companies in EU that pops up to provide them with one.

    That would be very good for the EU , open source software and Apple and realy bad for Microsoft

  5. Re:May be risky, but... by Austerity+Empowers · · Score: 4, Interesting

    Actually this would be great for the US. Let European corporations figure out how to effectively switch away from MS, and then we can just swoop in and adopt the finished product.

  6. Re:May be risky, but... by daniel23 · · Score: 3, Interesting

    Well, I doubt this, strongly.
    A public outcry in Europe to back an US monopolist trying to strongarm a European institution? You must be dreaming!

    As soon as this issue comes to the headlines and frontpages, MS would draw all the widespread critique of US hegemonialism and cowboy politics on itself. And this is not limited to single nations or leftwing circles at all but is a view shared by many in the upper ranks of corporate Europe as well.
    And there are lots of anti-US sentiments in latency which would tend to manifest themselves if such an issue was driven to a confrontation.
    To become a symbol of "typical American" is a pr disaster and I do not think MS will offer themselves as a scapegoat like that.
    In fact, one of the factors that allowed MS to grow strong here was the emphasis they put on localisation. And this was not invented in Redmond, Wash., it was an issue put forward by European branches, and Redmond listened, and took the advice.
    Of course this is only speculation on my part but I wouldn't be surprised to learn they still know to listen to the locals and know better than to risk a full scale open confrontation.

    --
    605413? Yes, it's a prime.