Later today South Korean regulators searched the offices of Microsoft's S. Korean office. The reason behind the search was to investigate allegations that Microsoft violated trade regulations by tying its IM software to its OS. This seems totally uncalled for in my opinion. Sounds to me like S. Korea wants to add its name to the already long list of lawsuits.
South Korean regulators searched the offices of Microsoft Corp.'s local subsidiary on Thursday to investigate allegations that the U.S. software giant violated trade regulations by tying its instant messenger software to its Windows operating system. The investigation, conducted by South Korea's Fair Trade Commission, comes after the European Union fined Microsoft about $606 million in March and demanded changes in the software company's business practices. Microsoft has filed an appeal of the EU's antitrust decision.
In February, officials from Japan's fair trade watchdog raided Microsoft offices there on suspicion of monopoly law violations - in particular, whether Microsoft attached overly restrictive conditions to deals with computer makers. Microsoft said it had already dropped a controversial provision of those contracts but was cooperating with authorities. South Korea's FTC said it will conduct onsite investigations of Microsoft Korea through next Wednesday.
News source: seattlepi.com
South Korean regulators searched the offices of Microsoft Corp.'s local subsidiary on Thursday to investigate allegations that the U.S. software giant violated trade regulations by tying its instant messenger software to its Windows operating system. The investigation, conducted by South Korea's Fair Trade Commission, comes after the European Union fined Microsoft about $606 million in March and demanded changes in the software company's business practices. Microsoft has filed an appeal of the EU's antitrust decision.
In February, officials from Japan's fair trade watchdog raided Microsoft offices there on suspicion of monopoly law violations - in particular, whether Microsoft attached overly restrictive conditions to deals with computer makers. Microsoft said it had already dropped a controversial provision of those contracts but was cooperating with authorities. South Korea's FTC said it will conduct onsite investigations of Microsoft Korea through next Wednesday.
News source: seattlepi.com
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Maybe people wouldn't mind your opinions if they weren't completely retarded and unsupported.
And besides, are you suggesting that you can't investigate a crime without proof of the crime? What's the point in investigating it after you've proven it. This investigation was begun in 2001. One should be asking why it took them 3 years to get around to searchign their offices. Not the other way around.
Moronic, man.
Last edited by 9953 on 10 Jun 2004 - 23:10
Here’s a bit of a history lesson for you. When Microsoft started to integrate its IM product together it was breaking no laws (in certain places). Then years afterwards certain laws started to emerge from governments. Governments such as South Korea. These laws are at best 2 years old, but guess what Microsoft already integrated Messenger into Windows XP before that time. So why should a government be applauded for press charges against a US company that didn’t break any laws the first time? It’s true some countries might have had this law in place before Windows XP came out, but I can’t think of any off the top of my head.
I almost forgot to say that originally in 2001 Daum Communications Corp., a South Korean Internet company pressed charges against Microsoft. 2001 is the same year that Windows XP came out (if my memory serves me right), however at that time there was no law in South Korea that specifically stated that a monopoly could integrate its IM or any other software so closely. It wasn’t for a couple of months till this was added. The fact that it was a South Korean company just adds to my suspicions. Just in case any of you are wondering where I’m getting this information I’ve been talking to some of my old friends who live overseas. None in South Korea, but who are studying law in London. Not to mention a few lawyer friends of mine who moved over from India to get a CS major.
Have a wonderful day,
-Malebolgia
Doesn't mean it's irrelevant.
I'm more on topic than you. The EU case did involve Messenger as well. WMP became the issue late in the case, and became the focus because it was the clearer case.
Condescending *******, I think I know my history better than you.
You don't know this. I would argue that it has and still does violate our laws, we are just too afraid, cheap, and now Republican-controlled to pursue it.
Baloney. No countries are actively modifying antitrust law except to water it down or via precedence. SHow some proof.
So they created the law 2 years ago, but began the investigation over 3 years ago. Moron.
I haven't seen any argue that they should be applauded. We are concerned about the lameness of your pathetic defense of Microsoft however. And you are pretty much without evidence and grasping at straws to claim that there was a "first time".
You can't think of a country that has passed a new law. Otherwise you would have cited the law and the country that passed it. Well? Who did so? What is the law?
I already know this. What's your point?
You don't know sh!t. No antitrust law has ever been needed to be crafted so specifically as to forbid specific types of software integrations. What is more relevant is market definitions, the consumer perception of products, and whether or not competition existed beforehand that was beneficial. And the Daum case continues to proceed today. A judge wouldn't have accepted the civil suit if there wasn't grounds to go forward, fool.
Please provide proof that Korea modified its antitrust laws post WinXP.
You first said Korea had no basis to be investigating this. Then you say, just because they do and a case has been brought in S. Korea, makes it okay to dismiss it. Moronic.
Since you haven't backed up anything, yes, we are wondering.
Ahh, you must be an expert. Put the shovel down and get out of the hole you've already dug for yourself.
Have a nice day, yourself.
anyways why do they need to raid their offices, uh if you install xp you will se it their.
I think they will want internal memos, emails, documents discussing the integration... They'll want to review code, not compiled binaries, etc...
Jeez, people are obtuse some time.
I wish we had this raiding thing in the US. Would have stopped enron before it got so out of control
privacy laws are such bs. If you believe the government has no right to search your company or house, then you obviously have something to hide
So where's the bullsh!t? Huh, where? No one is going to believe you if you can't refute my comments in any way. Name calling is not proof.
What is bullsh!t about my post?
...and what a stupid post by area91
On a Mac, if I don't want iChat, I can delete it. It's gone for good, and is never going to return. Same with every other bundled application on the Mac. Just delete, and it's gone, forever.
It's funny how some who like an OS just can't admit it still have some serious flaws. That doesn't mean you don't have a reason to like it. I mean, all OS'es have annoyances.
I personally think Windows BLOWS in some areas, but I still actively use it and there's many things I think are better done than in other OS'es.
Last edited by 21023 on 11 Jun 2004 - 07:31
The funny thing about it, though, is that 10 billion won is around about $8 MILLION...
Is this news or an editorial? Keep the opinions in the comments section please. And you wondered why some people "freaked out" when neowin became an official microsoft partner site. I guess we can officially forget about getting official news.
It's like getting all upset because disk compression is bundled...almost nobody uses it, many even want it off their systems, so what's the point?
Isn't that EXACTLY the point??!!!
My point was that the most popular IM client in Korea does not come bundled with the OS. A company that complains of unfair competition because an IM client that is barely even used by anyone is absurd.
Maybe they should deliberately release an empty OS and just see how nuts the world goes.
that just seems like an odd course of action...
do these countries want ms to stop existing??? they are going to sue them out of house and home... this is total bull****... why don't you write a damn operating system that is so compatible and then start bitching about fair trade...
this **** is totalll bull ****ing ****....
a good example.. yahoo messenger + yahoo mail + toolbar + search, all installed by default. Thanks yahoo. Can i sue them?
the simple fact of the matter is, the operating system has changed over the years. You can't get away with shipping an os which doesn't come with some basic features built right in there.. web browsing, cd/dvd writing, email, basic apps, etc etc etc. Without these features most people would not be happy with the os from day one - as a user they shouldn't have to go out and download / look for other basic apps which basic fulfill needs.
Perhaps someone should take a look at a rival operating system, and see what anticompetitive products are installed by default with that... *cough*apple*cough*
Bill Gates told them no.
Now these lawsuits come up years later and these lawsuits is used as a smoke screen in order to punish Gates for not complying to the US Gov's demands.
Since Gates refuses to budge, the Feds may well try to run him out of business by slapping lawsuits after lawsuits, running Microsoft dry.
Oh and NSA wants a backdoor key too..
http://slashdot.org/articles/99/09/05/1030228.shtml
Google it for more information, it's out there.
Last edited by 43405 on 11 Jun 2004 - 07:01
a) mac os has a master key by which the feds can snoop on everything we do, or
b) they'll start running jobs out of business soon.
c) you're talking conspiracy bull****
so, which is it?
a) mac os has a master key by which the feds can snoop on everything we do, or
b) they'll start running jobs out of business soon.
c) you're talking conspiracy bull****
so, which is it?
a and c
1) MS has 90%+ of the market
2) You can't remove IE, WMP, outlook, etc
You need to try out Linux. Maybe you will learn something.
I can't and have never been able to see a problem with Microsoft's business logic. They are bundling products sure... but they are products that they have written themselves, so whats the problem? Like I said it's scale. Think of Kerio and many other people.... like McAfee. They now bundle their Antivirus products with Firewall apps. It's no different but because they are tiny they are allowed to do this.
Any bashing of Microsoft is irrelevant at the end of the day.. I know I have bashed them too, but at the end Microsoft is the company that has produced the best OS with support for such infinitely wide-varied hardware configurations. Although other OS's out there do this, none have done so as well as Microsoft's growing line of Windows OS's. An Apple MAC is almost irrelevant in that argument as it has more similarities to a purpose-built console thus making the OS easier to tailor, although this is changing noticeably.
Give it a rest.
Anyway, snippet1 was being sarcastic.
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