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

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:You can already do this!

[eln]

Sure, YOU can, but until now most OEMs were contractually obligated not to change the defaults to non-MS alternatives.

Having OEMs ship with non-MS defaults is big, because the vast majority of users will pretty much stick with default settings in most cases.

Re:You can already do this!

[Anonymous Coward]

OEMs have been able to change the defaults since the settlement of the US Antitrust case. Which is obvious if you've seen a Dell from the last few years.

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)