Slow Oracle Merger Leads To Outflow of Sun Projects, Coders
An anonymous reader writes "Sun Microsystems might have had a chance if the Oracle merger had gone through quickly, but between the DoJ taking its time and the European Commission, which seems to get off on abusing American firms, just plain dragging its feet, that won't happen now. As Sun twists in the wind, unable to defend itself, and Oracle is unable to do anything until the deal closes, IBM is pretty much tearing Sun to shreds. By the time this deal closes, there won't be much left for Oracle. This is not how a Silicon Valley legend should end."
how about that the fines levied against American companies are extortionist?
$1.5B against Intel for something that wasn't even illegal at the time it was done? Without looking at evidence presented by the defense?
Dragging feet on mergers like this, but having little issue when a EU firm is acquiring tech from an American company (Intel's sell-off of flash to SST, an Italian company).
I could dig more, but at this point it's not worth it as I've already been flagged troll...
-nB
whois gawk date unzip strip find touch finger mount join nice man top fsck grep eject more yes exit umount sleep dump
You mean like the backroom deals that just got the Lockerbie bomber released? Yuck. I understand full well that slimy stuff like this happens, but I don't have to like it. Let the EC vote down the sale if they like, or tack on clauses to ensure whatever it is that they want to ensure because that is what they are paid to do. But to drag things out is just wrong.
To quote Yoda: Do, or don't do. Halfway stuff sucks.
- doug
By, look at where we are now, you mean making MS include an absolutely retarded browser choosing screen? It's not an anti-competitive to include a browser in your OS it's practically a requirement. Now go off and fine Canonical for including Firefox and Apple for including Safari.
I'm not going to dig up all the proof you're looking for, but I will say this:
For bonus points, show that American firms don't actually deserve the 'abuse' by committing more crimes than their European counterparts.
Most of these American companies were getting burned at the stake by the EU for things that weren't *crimes* before they started getting burned by the stake by the EU. To cite Microsoft alone, was shipping Windows Media Player with Windows a crime? Was not providing a tool out-of-the-box to choose which browser the user wants a crime? And I won't even get started on Intel's persecution, that was simply ridiculous.
I will give the EU this: it has a lot of apologists like you. I have no idea where they come from, or why they think that behavior is acceptable.
Comment of the year
Americans don't seem to realize what a "global economy" truly entails.
One could speculate that when Americans said "global economy" they meant a global economy dominated and controlled by themselves; with their influence waning others are more inclined to openly challenge, obstruct or tax American interests without fear of American using their formerly all-mighty dollar to give them a spanking.
The Long Now Foundation