Slashdot Mirror
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. "
Don't be snowballed in all of this. Microsoft is being railroaded, because the EU is scared of having an American company producing the software that runs 99% of the West's business operations. It's all about trying to get a slice of the pie. Once they saw how MS got railroaded by the US on the Monopoly charges, they rubbed their hands with glee and started concocting ways to get their own slice of sweet, sweet Microsoft money. The bottom line is, as long as MS is selling software in the EU, the EU will be going after MS. If they stop selling in the EU, the EU will sue them for discrimination, and strum up some charges based on "Anti European" strategies. It's all about attacking the wealthy, unpopular guy because they know the masses will support them in lock step.
An Uncomfortable Truth
...I bet the actual citizens of the EU won't see a 0.01 of any actual money the EU fines. It would be lost in administration and red tape and a lot of the BS that the EU is famed for. Rather than giving back to the people that Microsoft wronged.
Also interestingly: What happens if MS refuse to pay? I can't imagine there being much chance of them refusing, but would the EU have powers to strongarm MS's bank to pay up on behalf of Microsoft?
Baka Drew
"Irrelevant in a month"...??? What are you smoking?
Microsoft can leave Europe. we don't know the wording to the contracts. Also linux isn't the best system Either.We have a linux system here that crashes completely everytime we try to update it. Wich means we have to load the backup image everytime. no matter what anybody else says I have never had a windows server crash on me . Imagine all of the european users trying to compile programs just so they can run it on their machine? IF microsoft pulled out of europe europe would be in trouble. Microsoft products are in more places then you think.
The EU is retarded... In my opinon, the EU's whole BS going on right now can be paraphrased as follows: "Hey, Microsoft, you're competition can't figure out how to compete with you, so why not help them along by giving them all the info they need. We know your bottom line will be hurt significantly, but hey - if you don't do it voluntarily, we'll charge you millions of Euros everday!!". To Europe (and I'm European): Get you're fucking nose out of the holes where it doesn't belong! If you want to be consistent - you should make it law that any product sold in europe should divulge source code also, which is the case for nearly 0% of commercial products.
It would seem the EU is making crap up just to use microsoft as a source of income. Microsoft should just pull out and invalidate all licenses in the EU. Than sue everyone still using windows the next day.
I am european OSS enthusiast but am disguisted by the way EU acts. The mentality of european politicians is directly connected to the "sun king", Hitler and Stalin. They are elected by their deceived employees and are for all intents and purposes dictators. (The party that is willing to pay salaries for 30%-50% of the voting public has a bit of an advantage in the elections).
I predict that they will continue to milk MS until they can't get anything more. They are after money, not justice. The Media-free editions they forced on MS is a daft and stupid solution that does nothing good for anyone, least of all the consumer. It is only useful if you want to be able to say "no, not good enough, gimme gimme!"
To use an analogy more suited to this forum, the EU just said: "I am altering the deal, pray I don't alter it any further".
The EU is the really bad guy here, MS is guilty of a misdemeanor in comparison.