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EU Rejects Microsoft Royalty Proposal

Posted by samzenpus on from the no-money-for-you dept.

pallmall1 writes "According to MSNBC, The Financial Times has reported that the EU is going to drastically reduce or even eliminate Microsoft's proposed royalties on interoperability information required to be released by the EU's antitrust ruling issued three years ago. According to a confidential EU document, "Microsoft will be forced to hand over to rivals what the group claims is sensitive and valuable technical information about its Windows operating system for next to no compensation...". Even Neil Barrett, the expert picked by both Microsoft and the EU to oversee Microsoft's compliance with the 2004 ruling, says a zero percent royalty would be 'better.'"

5 of 274 comments (clear)

  1. Re:Royalties by fabs64 · · Score: 2, Funny

    Well one would hope that 5.95% of nothing is... :-)

  2. Uhm, aren't they the criminals here? by 91degrees · · Score: 5, Funny

    I want Microsoft's lawyers. I could get charged with being a bank robber, then make a deal where I agree to only rob a small bit from banks, and then I'd demand compensation for loss of earnings.

  3. HRH William Gates III by BillGatesLoveChild · · Score: 3, Funny

    > EU Rejects Microsoft Royalty Proposal

    Now this time Bill Gates really has gone too far: King Gates III! The Brits would never buy it! On the other hand we could see increased coverage of Microsoft in the British Tabloid Press and I'd like to see Steve Balmer try to throw a throne.

  4. It's true! by PoopDaddy · · Score: 5, Funny

    I saw it on Slashdot from this guy samzenpus who said this guy pallmall1 saw on MSNBC that the Financial Times reported it. So it's gotta be true.

  5. Re:EU = still playing where it doesn't belong by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 1, Funny

    >Maybe it's different in Britain

    No, it's exactly the same; we have MS fanboy idiots here too.