EC To Pursue Antitrust Despite Microsoft's IE Move

snydeq writes "The European Commission will proceed with its antitrust case against Microsoft regardless of Microsoft's decision to strip IE from Windows 7 in Europe. Europe's top antitrust regulator said the EC would draw up a remedy that allows computer users 'genuine consumer choice,' noting that stripping out IE from Windows 'may potentially be positive,' but 'rather than more choice, Microsoft seems to have chosen to provide less.' Jon von Tetzchner, CEO of Opera, whose complaint to the European Commission at the end of 2007 sparked the initial antitrust investigation, said Microsoft is 'trying to set the remedy itself by stripping out IE. ... Now that Microsoft has acknowledged it has been breaking the law by bundling IE into Windows, the Commission must push ahead with an effective remedy,' he said."

Comments

Re:Okay, enough already

[hbean]

I'll join you in getting heavily modded down by the MS bashers, this whole thing is insane. MS says theyll remove the browser, but thats not good enough, they have to provide the browser, because not doing so would be providing less, and somehow also, via magic, not have it be used unless the user wants to.

Give me a break. The guy who is coming up with this on the EC is probably still types M$ in his inter-office emails.

Re:Okay, enough already

[Samalie]

Oh, I know that can't pull their product...and if they did do it & Linux won as a result it would be regarded as the most fucking inane business decision ever.

But you're entirely correct...its a total "tax grab" in the guise of "The Big Bad American Corporation shit on our businesses, so now we'll shit on them."

As much as I hate Microsoft, this pinko fascist anti-business bullshit goes way too far. I honestly feel sorry for people who have to live under the EU "rule".

Re:Honestly you lack fantasy...

[recoiledsnake]

First, I agree with EU. American antitrust is proven not to work. Microsoft always abused of its monopoly position and you, americans, did nothing. Zero. Nada. This decision is thought but I think that MS will be forced to provide a simple webpage that will direct the users to the main web-pages of the most diffused browsers. How do I browse the above web page? With a simple one page only browser that is allowed only to display that page. I know it sounds ridicolous, but it's what the EU will force MS to do... And if you think carefully is the only way MS can't force the PC vendors to embed once again IE. Sorry guys but we all know that if MS can cheat/bribe they will do it. At least is what they have done in the latest...15 years? Be honest: do you really think that if MS will leave (so called) free choice to PC vendors, behind, those will be forced to embed IE? Your idea sounds ridiculous(as you admit), because it IS ridiculous. How and who will decide what browser choices will you get on the first run? If I make a browser that sends all the URLs to my server under the guise of anti-phishing can I force MS to bundle it and offer it as a choice? What order will the browsers be listed in? Cheers,

Re:Okay, enough already

[DrLang21]

MS should be required to include a PCI and PCI Express card with Windows that provides a radioactive decay driven random number generator. These cards should be produced by random suppliers selected by the EU.