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'No Alternative' To Microsoft Fine
An anonymous reader writes "News.com is running an interview with Neelie Kroes, the competition commissioner for the EU. She confirms that the massive fines to Microsoft are absolutely necessary, and goes into some of the commissions reasons for slapping the giant down." From the article: "Microsoft has claimed that its obligations in the decision are not clear, or that the obligations have changed. I cannot accept this characterization--Microsoft's obligations are clearly outlined in the 2004 decision and have remained constant since then. Indeed, the monitoring trustee appointed in October 2005, from a shortlist put forward by Microsoft, believes that the decision clearly outlines what Microsoft is required to do. I must say that I find it difficult to imagine that a company like Microsoft does not understand the principles of how to document protocols in order to achieve interoperability. "
First, I think they are right by saying the specifications are unclear. That would be my "mainstream" objection/q.
Second, any government power is illegitimate. The EU harms both its citizens and Microsoft by standing in between.
\u262D = \u5350
Bullshit.
The facts are that Microsoft spent millions developing Active Directory, and rather than offer competing solutions, guys like Samba want to clone Active Directory and give it away for free. And they want, nay, *demand*, that Microsoft assist them in doing this. This is bullshit.
There's nothing stopping competitors from offering their own network solutions that can be installed in Windows clients and run on whatever server OS they choose. Then they could try to compete with Active Directory on mertis. But no, they want to just create a free clone of Active Directory run on some *nix server.
You guys supporting government fleecing the company that spend millions developing something so that OSS can make cheap knockoffs rather than develop potentially better solutions are misguided, to say the leasr.