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Microsoft Loses EU Anti-Trust Appeal
Kugrian writes "Microsoft has lost its appeal against a record 497m euro (£343m; $690m) fine imposed by the European Commission in a long-running competition dispute. The European Court of First Instance upheld the ruling that Microsoft had abused its dominant market position."
For punishing Microsoft's customers. Now they get to justify their high prices and might even raise them, to pay off this fine.
If the EU thinks that this will impact the checkbook of anybody on Microsoft's payroll, or even of their investors, they're insane.
Next time, punish the company, not the company's clients.
Okay, to clarify, I'm not a fan of M$. They obviously have been involved in anti-competitive practices in the past, and I don't doubt that if they get the chance to use their market dominance to thwart competition again, they'll do it. However, there's a bigger issue than that involved; namely, the EU regulatory commission has an incredible anti-American bias. Basically, it's oldschool nationalist protectionism.
Does anyone even pay attention to Airbus vs. Boeing? The EU complained vehemently at the relatively mild import taxes leveled towards Airbus in the United States, while Boeing has had to deal with extraordinary protectionist import tariffs for years, as well as the fact that Airbus was SUBSIDIZED by the EU to the tune of several BILLION dollars. Micro$haft is anti-competitive for bundling its software package together in an OS, yet it's not anticompetitive for the EU to level huge (as much as 60% in some cases) import tariffs on Boeing while subsidizing Airbus for billions of Euro? And then they had the gall to complain about US tariffs? Come on, folks. Let's not let the utter hatred of M$ get in the way of seeing that this is more international politics at work than anything.
The EU and the Euro were created to fight the United States' financial power and the US dollar's financial power, respectively. The Euro has done remarkably well against the dollar except for a brief period right after its inception, and the EU's market power continues to grow. The fact is, though, they're not satisfied with their increasing market power; the EU has every intention of making it very difficult for American companies to hold substantial market share in Western Europe. It's the politics, ladies and gentlemen, not the monopoly.
How can you folks not smell the rat? It's been decaying for weeks in the vents, the whole house smells like death, and you guys are concerned that someone left the chinese takeout in the trash. Faites attention, s'il vous plait.
Wow. You obviously hate America and Americans. Why don't you just stop using American products all together, mmmkay.
There is no "-1 offended" or "-1 you don't agree with me" mod options for a reason.
What are you smoking? Do you even know what a monopoly is? Please Google the definition. How can Microsoft be a monopoly when there are several other options you can choose from? the key phrase being "you can choose". The people have chosen Microsoft Windows. The people are free to choose any other company. The people continue to choose Microsoft Windows. The are industries that make money from producing calculator software. Do they now get to sue? What about text editor software companies? I believe Windows comes with notepad. Is that now an impending lawsuit? All this judgement has shown is the obtuseness of justice officials in separating preconceived notions when adjudicating matter of large business. The European court system is a complete fraud. This would never have happened in an American court room. These are the same people who allow lawsuits against churches for not allowing gay organizations to use their property. Any other company would not have these nonsensical restrictions placed on them. A version of Windows without media player? Are they serious? If not media player, then why anything else? Seriously. It doesn't make any sense. How about suing HP for packaging Intel processors in their computers. Or maybe sue Motorola for using their own components in cell phones. Absolutely absurd. Judgments like these stifle technological growth. Alternative, and sometimes better, solutions do not exist when government legislates "competition". Using your rabbit-hole reasoning Ford was a monopoly. They never were, but lets just use your illogic and say that they were. Look at them now. Just imagine what phone companies would do if they were able to litigate and win in this fashion. None of us would have the speedy fiber optic connections to the internet right from our home. wait a minute... Companies don't produce new (and better) products just for the hell of it.