Microsoft Fined €561 Million For Non-compliance With EU Browser Settlement

Seeteufel writes "Microsoft's failure to comply with an antitrust settlement about browser choice has severe consequences. The European Commissioner for Competition Almunia set a fine of €561 million (~$732 million) for the unprecedented break of agreement. Microsoft admitted its mistakes and offered further concessions." A pretty costly bug it seems. From the EC press release: "This is the first time that the Commission has had to fine a company for non-compliance with a commitments decision. In the calculation of the fine the Commission took into account the gravity and duration of the infringement, the need to ensure a deterrent effect of the fine and, as a mitigating circumstance, the fact that Microsoft has cooperated with the Commission and provided information which helped the Commission to investigate the matter efficiently."

Comments

a bug?

[yagu]

There is virtually ZERO chance/probability that this was a Microsoft bug.

Oh man, this had to happen sooner or later

[TechieRefugee]

It sure is a *fine* story!

Re:Mean while in america

[Joce640k]

Mean while in america we fine 1.92 billion HSBC for laundering money for terrorists and drug lords. Apparently laundering money for terrorists and drug lords is only 2.5 (roughly) times as bad as not complying with an EU court settlement.

Neither is as bad as sharing a song over bittorrent.

Re:does this even hurt them, though?

[Howitzer86]

An estimated 70,000 people die every day as a result of being locked into IE6.

Re:Can't believe their arrogance

[Runaway1956]

I think I like that idea.

Microsoft can get even by not selling their stuff in Europe. Apple picks up part of the market. Linux gains a bit. Android gains some. ChromeOS gains some too. The various BSD distros. Maybe ecomstation and a few others gain. Sure, go ahead and convince Microsoft to stop selling. Sounds like a win-win proposition to me!