Microsoft Softens Up On Competition

shaneFalco writes "The BBC is reporting that Microsoft, prompted in part by their recently legal woes in the European Union will allow vendors to set non-Microsoft applications as the default on Windows computers. This initiative is part of a dozen 'tenets to promote competition' that the company is adopting in the face of stiff criticism of business tactics in Europe. Other tents include not retaliating against businesses that promote non-MS software, and a relaxing of restrictions on licensing Windows-related patents." From the article: "The principles might mean that some manufacturers will promote search engines other than Microsoft's own, Mr Smith said - an apparent reference to Google, which has looked to be on a collision course with Microsoft over search engines. 'There are certain steps we can't take that would have been permitted a decade ago,' the executive added." We touched on this announcement yesterday, but details on the '12 tenets' were less clear at that point.

Comments

Wtf?

[Poromenos1]

The hell? They will ALLOW them? Where does it say that Microsoft has a say in what is set up as default in the OS? Do they seriously think they can make people only use their searches/office/whatever?

Great.

[Adambomb]

This is lovely on paper, but with regards to:

Promising not to retaliate against computer makers that support non-Microsoft software.

How precisely do they propose to differentiate between "retaliation against a computer maker" and "business decisions" due to any other little thing the maker may do that they decide they don't like? Would it be possible to argue that regardless of the actions of the maker, Microsoft could never stop selling to them or change pricing ever again without risking constant litigation? Seems like a disaster waiting to happen either way once a precedent is set(either against or for Microsoft).

Re:Great.

[eln]

If Microsoft raises pricing for one particular vendor without similarly raising prices on all other vendors selling the same volume, chances are it's retaliation.

Microsoft needs to stop playing games and just set different prices for different numbers of units sold and be done with it. The more complex they make their OEM pricing models, and the more factors they base pricing on, the more likely they are to be hit with lawsuits based on unfair pricing.

softening?

[yagu]

I hail Microsoft's perceived "softening" as a positive step albeit driven largely by legal fiat. However, one need only read this article on Microsoft and their stance against Google to realize and recognize Microsoft retains its hubris and aggressive stance.

Consider from the above article:

Turner said the company is also gearing up to take on IBM and Oracle, among other competitors, with new products slated for debut in the next few months. But he saved his most acerbic comments for Google.

"Those people are not going to be allowed to take food off of our plate, because that is what they are intending to do," he said.

The hubris is Microsoft's assumption anyone getting business is taking food off of their plate, or something they consider rightfully theirs, as opposed to customers who make choices in a free marketplace. Fortunately the marketplace is tipped somewhat more towards a level playing field (not all the way, but better than before).

Re:You can already do this!

[kimvette]

It's more than that. It's (pick one or more of the following):

  ( ) Microsoft's meeting antitrust settlement requirements by not only providing mechanisms to change the defaults, but actually implementing the GUI to make it possible for non-geeks to do so
  ( ) Political spin/marketing bragging about how they're good guys when in reality they were forced to do this
  ( ) Unlike Google, known for making efforts to "do no evil" Microsoft is known primarily for doing evil and then not apologising afterward. Making their meeting DoJ requirements look like new value-added features is great marketing. "Hey we let you change small aspects of your desktop, new in Vista. Upgrade your PC today!"
  ( ) Microsoft's wanting to avoid further extensions of antitrust settlements
  ( ) Ballmer didn't feel like throwing any chairs yesterday (I kid, I kid)

Previously if you wanted to change some of these settings it was digging through the registry (a frightning prospect for Mr. Old School businessman who can barely master Hotmail or for Joe Sixpack) or knowing about and downloading xteq's xsetup (or for some settings, TweakUI from Microsoft Powertoys)

It's just a question of magnitude

[mangu]

the EU is imposing these kind of arbitrary restrictions on what MS can and cannot do with Windows, but turn a completely blind eye to Apple's totally monopoly over all things Apple

Huh, maybe their respective 95%/5% market shares have something to do with that decision?