1. Perhaps the EU is a larger market space than the US - that's not subject to debate. What is up for discussion here is the EU subjecting a corporation to change their practices simply because other ventures are unable to parallel.
2. Is it OK for Americans to whine - YES - There have not been any fines for Japanese cap manufacturers imposed here, or at least none that I know if. In fact - the decrase in US car sales is pushing US car manufacturers to be more competitive - a great thing for the car marketplace.
3. Were Boeing or Airbus ever fined or forced to share their competitive techniques with competitors?
4. I use a MAC, almost never Windows, so I'm not a pro-Windows by any means - but considering the volume of applications that exist for Windows, you'd have to form the opinion that the API's must be very much so "open" and "well documented". Why on earth should Microsoft be forced to remove elements of Windows simply because some other companies are jealous? I mean, Windows is a product, right? Why shouldn't Microsoft be able to do whatever they want with thir product? If people don't want it - don't buy it! On the same level - remove "grep" from commercial distros of Linux please, it is hindering my crappy home made search code from becomming mainstream!
5. Open source, closed source - I don't really care, again, that's not really the discussion, from what I've heard it's just what Microsoft volunteered to give up. If people don't want to make money from Software, then they distribute freeware - fine. If people don't want to spend money on software then the get Linux or something. Either choices are fine, but for the EU to force a corporation to modify it's product under these circumstances is perposterous. There are countless other media programs and browsers that are thriving - there is no case here for anti-trust, only lack of competence from those that wish their programs were making them more money, or bitter competitors of Microsoft - and of course the EU.
And I say this as a European - they should not be touching this one. They are simply greedy.
The EU is retarded...
In my opinon, the EU's whole BS going on right now can be paraphrased as follows:
"Hey, Microsoft, you're competition can't figure out how to compete with you, so why not help them along by giving them all the info they need. We know your bottom line will be hurt significantly, but hey - if you don't do it voluntarily, we'll charge you millions of Euros everday!!".
To Europe (and I'm European): Get you're fucking nose out of the holes where it doesn't belong!
If you want to be consistent - you should make it law that any product sold in europe should divulge source code also, which is the case for nearly 0% of commercial products.
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To counter your points:
1. Perhaps the EU is a larger market space than the US - that's not subject to debate. What is up for discussion here is the EU subjecting a corporation to change their practices simply because other ventures are unable to parallel.
2. Is it OK for Americans to whine - YES - There have not been any fines for Japanese cap manufacturers imposed here, or at least none that I know if. In fact - the decrase in US car sales is pushing US car manufacturers to be more competitive - a great thing for the car marketplace.
3. Were Boeing or Airbus ever fined or forced to share their competitive techniques with competitors?
4. I use a MAC, almost never Windows, so I'm not a pro-Windows by any means - but considering the volume of applications that exist for Windows, you'd have to form the opinion that the API's must be very much so "open" and "well documented". Why on earth should Microsoft be forced to remove elements of Windows simply because some other companies are jealous? I mean, Windows is a product, right? Why shouldn't Microsoft be able to do whatever they want with thir product? If people don't want it - don't buy it! On the same level - remove "grep" from commercial distros of Linux please, it is hindering my crappy home made search code from becomming mainstream!
5. Open source, closed source - I don't really care, again, that's not really the discussion, from what I've heard it's just what Microsoft volunteered to give up. If people don't want to make money from Software, then they distribute freeware - fine. If people don't want to spend money on software then the get Linux or something. Either choices are fine, but for the EU to force a corporation to modify it's product under these circumstances is perposterous. There are countless other media programs and browsers that are thriving - there is no case here for anti-trust, only lack of competence from those that wish their programs were making them more money, or bitter competitors of Microsoft - and of course the EU.
And I say this as a European - they should not be touching this one. They are simply greedy.
The EU is retarded... In my opinon, the EU's whole BS going on right now can be paraphrased as follows: "Hey, Microsoft, you're competition can't figure out how to compete with you, so why not help them along by giving them all the info they need. We know your bottom line will be hurt significantly, but hey - if you don't do it voluntarily, we'll charge you millions of Euros everday!!". To Europe (and I'm European): Get you're fucking nose out of the holes where it doesn't belong! If you want to be consistent - you should make it law that any product sold in europe should divulge source code also, which is the case for nearly 0% of commercial products.