Did Google Tip Off EU About Microsoft Browser Ballot?

Dupple writes with a story about the latest in the Google-Microsoft feud. "The tired spat between Google and Microsoft just got a lot more interesting after reports that the search giant tipped off European authorities to antitrust concerns, a tip that will now cost the Windows-maker nearly a billion dollars. When news of the fine levied by the European Union's competition watchdog broke on Wednesday, nobody was too surprised that the European Commission was punishing Microsoft for bullying consumers. But with a recent headline-stealing dispute between the Redmond, Washington company and Google, it's competitor down in Mountain View, California, bloggers got curious. Early Wednesday evening, The Wall Street Journal's Tom Gara wondered, 'Did Google Snitch?' According to a Financial Times report published a few minutes later, the answer is yes."

Comments

Obvious troll

[AmiMoJo]

This story is an obvious troll. There was no need to "tip off" the EU, it was plainly obvious to everyone the browser ballot disappeared and the EU obviously monitors compliance with its rulings.

Furthermore when did â500m before "nearly a billion dollars"? Someone can't do maths.

Re:Obvious troll

[Xest]

That and so what if Google did tip them off?

Microsoft has been paying millions to lobby EU staff and politicians to attack Google over non-issues, that's far worse than Google pointing out to the EU that Microsoft was in breach of it's obligations as a result of the investigation against them.

I assume the nearly a billion dollars thing comes from the exchange rate as I believe the figure you quote is euros no?

Re:Obvious troll

[Raumkraut]

Not only that, but the article linked provides no actual background to how it is "known" that Google "snitched" - just an unsourced quote.
A little digging indicates that the quote comes from a Financial Times article (registration required). Here are the relevant paragraphs:

Brussels punished Microsoft for failing to give at least 15m consumers a choice of web browser - a violation of a voluntary antitrust pact that was spotted and raised by Google and Opera, according to several people familiar with the case.

The US software group was left to police its own compliance and Mr Almunia said the lapse was brought to his attention by a Microsoft rival. According to people involved, Google and Opera informally provided the tip-off and helped investigators.

Re:Obvious troll

[lxs]

They didn't get the fine for the offense itself. They had a suspended sentence hanging over them for earlier abuses and they broke the restrictions imposed on them for that sentence.

When you steal a bar of chocolate you don't automatically end up prison, but you do when you already have been sentenced to a suspended prison sentence.

Re:Obvious troll

[AK Marc]

It was essentially a penalty for breaking the law earlier, and they failed to live up to their parole terms, then whine that Google told on them.

Re:Obvious troll

[hedleyroos]

Give it a month :)

Re:Obvious troll

[Gadget_Guy]

We use Windows 7 N at work. Nice to be able to install the video player one prefers, without having to fight Windows Media Player.

In what way do you have to fight WMP? You can set the default player by file type (and all video players give you the option to make their program the default). Plus you can go into "Turn Windows features on or off" and remove Windows Media Player completely in standard Windows 7.

You can probably do the same thing in Windows 8 by moving the mouse to four seventeenths of the way down the screen near the left side (right side in the sourthern hemisphere) and draw six anti-clockwise circles.

Re:Obvious troll

[bLanark]

In what way do you have to fight WMP? You can set the default player by file type (and all video players give you the option to make their program the default). Plus you can go into "Turn Windows features on or off" and remove Windows Media Player completely in standard Windows 7.

Well, I'm not the person you are replying to, but I installed the N version of Windows 7, and everything was cool and froody. I installed my favourite mp3 player, foobar2000, and all was well. Then I needed to get a Windows Performance Index for my PC, and for that I needed to install WMP. And, crazily, I lost the context menus in Explorer for "Play in foobar2000" and "Enqueue in foobar2000." After trying many registry tweaks I researched, I uninstalled WMP and got my menus back. I suspect that's the kind of fighting that the person you are replying to experienced.

I think I only got the full Aero UI experience once I'd installed WMP and calculated my WPI, but I might be wrong on that front.

Who cares?

[sofar]

Microsoft were fined for a reason. Who cares that google complained? They make a browser... this is sooooo non-news.

Re:Who cares?

[shellbeach]

Microsoft were fined for a reason. Who cares that google complained?

I don't think you quite understand how the tech world has changed. With the rise of Android, iOS and OSX, Microsoft has become the new underdog. It's only right and just to give minority OSes your support when big corporate bullies try to take them down.

Remember the love, people. When new items of hardware are released, make sure the question is asked here on /., "Sure, but can it run Windows??"

Snitch?

[nospam007]

A competitor violates the rules to ruin a company and if you call the cops you are a snitch?

Are you a gang member or just a moron?

Re:Snitch?

[MadKeithV]

It ruined no one by not having that list present

It was illegal and a violation of the agreement that Microsoft themselves signed with the EU after Microsoft lost the browser bundling court case. That's all that matters. The EU said "you can't do that" to Microsoft, Microsoft fought it hard in court, Microsoft lost, Microsoft agreed to a specific remedy, Microsoft then violated that remedy, Microsoft gets fined to send a message to any company that might think it's not that big a deal to violate a legal agreement with the EU. Whether it was sensible or not doesn't matter - it is the Law, and as a company you cannot flip off the Law and expect to get away with it.

Thank you google for standing up for our rights

[detain]

Its too bad slashdot has been reduced to articles like. I applaud google for helping out the individuals rights to choose what software they run on the computer, and find it shocking that the new slashdot owners are posting an article trying to shun google for helping in an anti-trust case. Aren't we supposed to be on the side of those people fighting for things like this? Next up our new slashdot overlords will be poking fun at the EFF.

So, doing the right thing is called "snitching"?

[DNS-and-BIND]

Sad, sad, sad submitter. Reflects the intellectual poverty of one who has no other idea of this action than "snitching". The very word is negative and implies something is wrong with informing the authorities that Microsoft is breaking the law (again - what a surprise). Where did this even come from? Oh yeah, "snitches get stitches". Who created this meme? Oh yeah, drug dealers who wanted to intimidate the local population into silence. And now the media is going along with it without even thinking of the implications. Good job everyone.

Who is Adam Clark Estes?

[Psychotria]

Who is Adam Clark Estes? I'd really like to know, because his "article" reads like it was written like a 5-year-old. "Ooooh, you can't snitch on people; the honour code is not to snitch! They are is not are playing fair! They is are doing what they're s'posed to do! They stoled my donut and lunch money but I didn't snitch! Snitches is are naughty!" Is he still in kindergarten?

His closing words in his "article": "Well, who looks triumphant now?"

Not you, Adam. But you do look like a moron.

Re:17+ months and the world didn't notice but Goog

[Anonymous Coward]

I know for a fact it wasn't only, if at all, Google complaining about the missing ballot screen. I filed a complaint myself. I'd also be surprised if of all competitors Opera didn't file a complaint. The only thing I wonder is, whether my email with the complaint went directly to /dev/null. I've never received a reply.

No evidence Google was involved ..

[dgharmon]

"Brussels punished Microsoft for failing to give at least 15m consumers a choice of web browser - a violation of a voluntary antitrust pact that was spotted and raised by Google and Opera, according to several people familiar with the case."

"Opera said it was "happy to see that the Commission is enforcing compliance with the commitment, which is critical to ensuring a genuine choice among web browsers for consumers". Google declined to comment."

Google tip-off leads to Microsoft EU penalty

Re:Yes there was.

[Tumbarumba]

If I was looking for nits to pick, I could greater nit than this.

How many nits could a nit picker pick, if a nit picker could pick nits?