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Microsoft hit by record EU fine

I

iGav

macrumors G3
Original poster
Mar 9, 2002
9,025
1
A fine of €497million well it's better than nothing I suppose... but really, it's about time authorities really came down hard on them and their second rate, retro-innovative, sad excuse for software products. :rolleyes:

Now it'll go on to an appeal, won't be sorted for X amount of years and MS will continue taking the pi$$!! :rolleyes:

http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/business/3563697.stm
 
iGAV said:
A fine of €497million well it's better than nothing I suppose...
Click to expand...

it's not about the money. did you read this:

"Mr Monti has ordered Microsoft to reveal details of its Windows software codes within 120 days, to make it easier for rivals to design compatible products."

"Microsoft must offer a stripped-down version of its Windows operating system minus the firm's MediaPlayer audiovisual software within 90 days."
 
But it could take up to a year for Microsoft's appeal to be filed and it is not clear if the EU court will order the company to change its operating systems during the appeal process, which could last up to five years.
Click to expand...

These complaints against Microsoft are based on five-year-old technology, which is a lifetime in the technology world.

Microsoft's next version of Windows is expected to include a Web search engine that would challenge Google and Yahoo.

The EU is already looking into charges from Microsoft competitors that its latest desktop operating system, Windows XP, is designed to help extend Microsoft's dominance into new markets such as instant messaging and mobile phones.

For its part, Microsoft has accused the EU of going too far in seeking a record fine for alleged antitrust abuses, saying it is being penalized for behavior permitted in the United States and did not realize it was acting illegally in Europe.
Click to expand...

http://www.cnn.com/2004/BUSINESS/03/24/microsoft.eu/index.html

:rolleyes:

groovebuster
 
I love the bit : "Microsoft claims that it should not be fined at all because it did not know its behaviour would breach EU law. "

The day Ignorance of any law is considered suitable defence is the day the foundation of Justice is destroyed.


Half a billion bucks does sound juicy enough to make me smile.

Their stocks have already lost $1 in the past week, so I'm curious to see how the market reacts. (Not that the news wasn't expected)
 
It's not enough to stop them. If only the United States government had the balls to stand up to them, then we would see action happening. This EU settlement is just a slap on the wrist and Microsoft will appeal it and nothing notable will occur.
 
JFreak said:
it's not about the money. did you read this:

"Mr Monti has ordered Microsoft to reveal details of its Windows software codes within 120 days, to make it easier for rivals to design compatible products."

"Microsoft must offer a stripped-down version of its Windows operating system minus the firm's MediaPlayer audiovisual software within 90 days."
Click to expand...

yep I read about it, but the fine is a big part of it... they should have been hit much, much harder in that respect, if they thought they were going to receive multi-billion $ fines everytime they took the pi$$, they'd soon realise.

What the EU should demand, is that the removal MediaPlayer happens now... and only allow Microsoft to appeal the fine amount, otherwise Microsoft will not be affected in anyway at all, because the process of appeal will drag on for years and years.

But like the pat on the back Microsoft received from the U.S. Courts a couple of years ago, this doesn't go anyway near far enough, MS only will have to offer the alternative OS to PC makers, in which case, do we really believe that companies like Dell etc are going to provide a stripped down OS over the fully functioning one?? I think not...

It's about time authorities realised that Microsoft is NEVER going to change it's unethical approach, and that something really needs to be done... NOW, before we're all f**kin' doomed to it's unsecure, second rate, retro-innovative products.
 
Savage Henry said:
Half a billion bucks does sound juicy enough to make me smile.

Their stocks have already lost $1 in the past week, so I'm curious to see how the market reacts. (Not that the news wasn't expected)
Click to expand...

Unfortunately this is just a slap on the wrist. They have over 50 billion in cash reserves! Not to mention all the assetts, etc, so really means nothing except a few people losing their jobs!
 
Microsoft Fined by the EU

BBC reports that Microsoft has been fined 497m euros ($613 million) for monopoly abuse in Europe.

As part of the punishment, Microsoft must reportedly "reveal secrets of its Windows software" and also offer a stripped-down version of Windows, without Windows Media Player.

Microsoft is expected to appeal.
 
Macrumors said:
BBC reports that Microsoft has been fined 497m euros ($613 million) for monopoly abuse in Europe.

As part of the punishment, Microsoft must reportedly "reveal secrets of its Windows software" and also offer a stripped-down version of Windows, without Windows Media Player.

Microsoft is expected to appeal.
Click to expand...




Excuse me while I ... HAHAHAHAhahahHAHAHAhahahaHAHAHA!
 
hehehehehehehhehehehhe ... roll around floor ... hahahahahahahahaha

thats better now!

only problem is all the money will go to the EU ministers and be wasted on them.
 
thats awesome... it is too bad the US doesnt follow suit... microshaft can go letter after "E" themselves... hehehehe...
 
Dare I say that at least over here Microsoft will not get away with donating 500 million worth of PeeCees to some schools like in the USofA. It is going to be cold hard cash yippppiieeeeee ! I want to see a copy of that cheque being published PLEEEEEEEEASE.
 
russed said:
only problem is all the money will go to the EU ministers and be wasted on them.
Click to expand...

you just know it is though.... :rolleyes: like making our Banana's straighter, or some other Brussels Brainwave they keep trying to inflict on us... :eek: :rolleyes: :p
 
No way will they reveal their code. That ruling will be overturned on the appeal. That's like asking KFC what's their 11 herbs and spices.
 
All--

The fine is not the point, although it is one of the largest antitrust fines ever levied. It is really about putting MS on notice that anti-competitive activity won't be tolerated.

The key point is that MS is being ordered to modify its software and that the order is highly unlikely to be stayed pending the resolution of the appeal. That is a major precedent, and will let the EU move a lot more quickly on other pending antitrust actions against MS.

I have yet to meet a programmer, including within MS, who believes Windows wouldn't work with IE or Media Player removed.

Best,

Bob
 
it wont make a lick of difference

Microsoft has 50 Billion in Cash laying around.. having too pay 600 mill
wont make any difference in there bottom line..

the fine should have been 30 Billion then they would change there ways
 
Really really cant see the point in this at all...Its good to see them getting pulled up on messing things about, but its not gonna change anything really is it...just like nothing really changed after the anti-trust stuff in the US...has anyone stopped buying Windows because Microsoft are an unfair monopoly? that'll be a no then...and nothing will be different over here.

Picture the scene...a normal, computer literate, but not technically minded couple take a trip to the local PC World to buy the latest version for Windows (sometime in 2010 then obviously!)....

Wife: "Oooh look, if we buy this one its £1 cheaper cos apparently it doesnt have "media playback" software included...do we need that"
Hubby: "Yes, so its either download something when we've finally get the damned thing to to connect to the Internet, or just buy the full version and have all the stuff we need in one box"
Wife: "good point. full version it is then. Oooooh...how about one of those Macs?"
Hubby: "Don't be silly woman, they only have one mouse button"
 
why do you all think microsoft is this big evil company? let's be honest people, they've made a lot of good innovations in technology. if we didn't have one main os in the market, not as many people would be using a computer. your average person doesn't want to have to learn another os. i use my ibook for portable things and my pc for my home so i'm not partial to either format. both have their advantages. i do think that if microsoft didn't try to include things such as a media player people would have no idea how to play files. my mom could sit down and if a sound file didn't open up she'd have no idea how to fix that. people want an os that will work. i think the same thing can be said for apple too. why does it come with ilife and quicktime? honestly, if you took ms out of the picture what os would take over? the average person buying a $499 computer system from dell can't afford a $2000 system from apple. is linux a viable option? not at all. it seems the governments are going after microsoft while the normal computer user doesn't care.
 
Swinny said:
Picture the scene...a normal, computer literate, but not technically minded couple take a trip to the local PC World to buy the latest version for Windows (sometime in 2010 then obviously!)....

Wife: "Oooh look, if we buy this one its £1 cheaper cos apparently it doesnt have "media playback" software included...do we need that"
Hubby: "Yes, so its either download something when we've finally get the damned thing to to connect to the Internet, or just buy the full version and have all the stuff we need in one box"
Wife: "good point. full version it is then. Oooooh...how about one of those Macs?"
Hubby: "Don't be silly woman, they only have one mouse button"
Click to expand...

The versions of the OS will cost the same price, whether with the MS media player or not. And I think that part of the ruling is that they have to include another player, probably Real.
 
Just goes to show that the EU isn't all bad - sometimes it get things exactly right.

Let's hope this is good news for Samba & Mac OS X's Windows support.

The point with Media Player is that it will be up to the OEMs discretion - if HP chooses to distribute their PCs with QuickTime and iTunes rather than Windows Media Player, they will be free to do so.

In order to capitalise on this, Apple & Real need to get busy striking OEM deals with PC manufacturers.

Google should be heaving a sigh of relief over this decision, and the US DOJ should take it as a reminder of what Antitrust is all about.
 
hey guys, i'm a little confused on why they have to reveal there code and what the point of that is?

is it so other operating systems can copy what windows is doing?

is os x code available? not to knowledgeable on this so i was curious
 
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