A former U.S. justice official who tried to break up Microsoft seven years ago has urged the European Commission to tread cautiously if it tries to do the same.
European Competition Commissioner Neelie Kroes, frustrated by what she sees as Microsoft's defiance of the law, recently raised the question of whether the U.S. software giant should be broken up.
But one of the American architects of a previous break-up bid says Europeans should proceed cautiously, if at all. So far there are no indications that could happen, and experts consider it unlikely.
The European Commission, Europe's top antitrust regulator, has never broken up a company for abusing its market dominance, although it has required major divestments by firms seeking permission to merge.
The former U.S. official and other legal experts say the EU executive could theoretically impose such a solution on Microsoft as the price of doing business in Europe.
View: news.com
European Competition Commissioner Neelie Kroes, frustrated by what she sees as Microsoft's defiance of the law, recently raised the question of whether the U.S. software giant should be broken up.
But one of the American architects of a previous break-up bid says Europeans should proceed cautiously, if at all. So far there are no indications that could happen, and experts consider it unlikely.
The European Commission, Europe's top antitrust regulator, has never broken up a company for abusing its market dominance, although it has required major divestments by firms seeking permission to merge.
The former U.S. official and other legal experts say the EU executive could theoretically impose such a solution on Microsoft as the price of doing business in Europe.
View: news.com
User 1: Europe needs to shut the **** up, Why aren't they picking on Apple.
User 2: Microsoft should just pull out of Europe. That'll show those pesky Europeans!
User 3: Europe is broke. They're just trying to squeeze money out of MS!
User 4: If they want to sell in Europe, they should abide by European laws.
User 5: I'm the voice of reason. All calm down so we can have a group hug.
User 6. MS could buy Europe if they wanted to, so quit hating and shut the **** up!
Nice one!!
User 1: Europe needs to shut the **** up, Why aren't they picking on Apple.
User 2: Microsoft should just pull out of Europe. That'll show those pesky Europeans!
User 3: Europe is broke. They're just trying to squeeze money out of MS!
User 4: If they want to sell in Europe, they should abide by European laws.
User 5: I'm the voice of reason. All calm down so we can have a group hug.
User 6. MS could buy Europe if they wanted to, so quit hating and shut the **** up!
what a load of "insert your own words here"..
Anyhow..
1. If microsoft wants to operate in the EU then it must work within EU law.
2. The current spat is about server documentation - or the lack of.
3. Its taken to 2006 to have a open and standard document format - yet M$ decides to create its own version.
4. we need a open and standard mail storage format. Plus standard connectors.
5. Monopolies aren't good - look at the stagnation and non correctiveness that ie6 has caused for web designers.
6. Microsoft would fail badly if it had competition.
User 1: Europe needs to shut the **** up, Why aren't they picking on Apple.
User 2: Microsoft should just pull out of Europe. That'll show those pesky Europeans!
User 3: Europe is broke. They're just trying to squeeze money out of MS!
User 4: If they want to sell in Europe, they should abide by European laws.
User 5: I'm the voice of reason. All calm down so we can have a group hug.
User 6. MS could buy Europe if they wanted to, so quit hating and shut the **** up!
It's funny because it's true.
Idiots. You do realize Microsoft would loose billions if it pulled out of Europe.
If they want to get European $$$ then they have to follow European laws.
but more to the point, i don't think breaking up a company is the solution. Just let the market decide, it's tough, but so is life
but more to the point, i don't think breaking up a company is the solution. Just let the market decide, it's tough, but so is life
The regulators have decided that the market can't decide, the market decided and the regulators are still trying to make things more "competitive" for that non existing competitor to MS. Linux is getting close but not ready yet, Apple, well Apple will always come second to MS since Billco is constantly stealing all of Apple's good ideas
If those ideas are so great that Microsoft is supposedly "stealing," then why is it tha Apple's not on top?
If those ideas are so great that Microsoft is supposedly "stealing," then why is it tha Apple's not on top?
If those ideas are so great that Microsoft is supposedly "stealing," then why is it tha Apple's not on top?
And if they are present in both company's products, why has one done so much better than the other? Roll of the dice? Maybe those "stolen" ideas aren't worth so much after all, and it's something else.
SOUNDS LIKE A GOOD IDEA!?
Every other company in existance is anti-competitive. All any company and individuals developing software can do these days is b*tch and moan that they can't compete. They never stop to consider that noone wants thier POS software.
Sky Sports and Sentanta ... I think the cost comes to around £28 a month now, over the £18 or something Sky charge.
Sky Sports & Setanta Sports.
Define what's "good". Should we go communism where "everyone works for the society and gets his/her fair share from the society"?
Forget China, Russia, Lebanon, Brazil, Mexico, Israel, Turkey, Saudi Arabia, India, Pakistan ... its the damn British and Germans!
Forget China, Russia, Lebanon, Brazil, Mexico, Israel, Turkey, Saudi Arabia, India, Pakistan ... its the damn British and Germans!
They're stealing too. No one said or implied it's just an EU thing.
Forget China, Russia, Lebanon, Brazil, Mexico, Israel, Turkey, Saudi Arabia, India, Pakistan ... its the damn British and Germans!
They're stealing too. No one said or implied it's just an EU thing.
How are we stealing in any where near those numbers?
We have it fairly under control.
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