Microsoft may face more EU fines

[kinetix63 Veteran]

Microsoft warned of more EU fines

The European Commission has warned Microsoft that it could face further fines for failing to comply with its anti-trust rulings.

Brussels criticised the software giant for not changing its behaviour since it was fined 497m euros (?331m) in 2004.

In an escalation of its long-running battle with the US firm, Brussels said Microsoft had been seeking unreasonable prices from competitors for key data.

In response, Microsoft said the threat of further fines was unreasonable.

"In the 50 years of European antitrust policy, it's the first time we've been confronted with a company that has failed to comply with an antitrust decision," a Commission spokesman said.

The EU has sought to force Microsoft to disclose information that will allow other companies to make sure their software works properly with Microsoft's operating systems.

The latest move comes after the Commission not only fined the firm, but also ordered it to make a version of Windows available without Media Player software.

After its latest rebuke, Competition Commissioner Neelie Kroes said she was "not used to dealing with companies who drag their feet as Microsoft is doing".

"Microsoft is a company not used to losing."

But the firm said: "It is hard to see how the Commission can argue that even patented innovation must be made available for free."

Last year, Microsoft was told to pay daily fines adding up to 280.5 million euros over a six-month period, after it failed to adhere to the 2004 ruling.

Source: BBC News

[Snakehn]

This is getting ridiculous, all they are doing is getting rich with microsoft's money.

[macrosslover]

seriously wtf do they want now? i mean they made versions of Vista available without the media player...oh yeah they dont' sell too well. what else are they expected to do? You can't seriously expect them to give away info for free that shouldn't be given for free, that's just crazy. everybody has licensing fees for certain areas.

[Azusa]

lol don't screw with the EU hell even us the mighty british empire can't touch them

[DeadOnArrival]

These set of lawsuits are totally ridicolous. I just bought my macbook pro like 3 months ago and I fondly remeber me having itunes and quicktime asking me if I wanted it as my primary media player out of the box, I've done least 10 os x installs on different macs and they all ask the same deal, so why does microsoft deserve this? I mean apple does the same thing? Media players, web browser, picture software, the whole nine-yards?

[GNRambo]

Wouldn't it be cheaper if they stopped selling their OS in europe?

Seems like the constant fines outweight the profit :s

[Sniper101]

Microsoft has the Choice now, either take the fines or do what every company with a brain does PULL OUT!!! then the EU can't do a damn thing. Im fed up hearing EU this and EU that you know what if i had the choice to change microsoft

[MGS4-SS]

Microsoft pulls out of EU, Microsoft ends up disappearing. Easy as that.

[Fourjays Veteran]

The EU has sought to force Microsoft to disclose information that will allow other companies to make sure their software works properly with Microsoft's operating systems.

Last time I checked, just about every piece of software runs on Microsoft Windows. Other companies must be having a real tough time making their software work properly with Windows. :rolleyes:

[AdverseDeviant]

Microsoft pulls out of EU, Microsoft ends up disappearing. Easy as that.

lol and what does the rest of the world use? macs?

[.Ark]

Microsofts Windows is a global platform.. multi national businesses use it and I dont know if they really want incompatibilities.. but anyways.. all I gotta say is "**** YOU EU"

Microsoft should just donate all this fine money to the democrats or republicans and get US ambassadors to go to the EU and deal with this politically.. it works.

[strekship]

Wait, so the EU wants Microsoft to license parts of their code for free?

[Allan]

The EC is pathetic. They are getting rich off Microsoft because they know Microsoft has the money. They aren't chasing Apple, who preinstalls their own Calander, Address Book, Web Browser, and forces you to use iTunes to use an iPod. Why, because Apple has probably paid the EC off under the table. The EU needs to either a: dismantle the EC, or change what laws they can and can not pass. Next thing you know, you'll be forced to use 1-ply toiletpaper at home, because it's more economic ...

[tao muon]

... Next thing you know, you'll be forced to use 1-ply toiletpaper at home, because it's more economic ...

Don't give them any ideas.

[Nathanael]

This is getting ridiculous, all they are doing is getting rich with microsoft's money.

The fines hardly have impact on the EU budget.

Microsoft has the Choice now, either take the fines or do what every company with a brain does PULL OUT!!! then the EU can't do a damn thing. Im fed up hearing EU this and EU that you know what if i had the choice to change microsoft

There's way more revenue coming from the EU than the fines are. It would be the dumbest decision ever made.

[Brandon Live Veteran]

Basically what it boils down to is that the EC feel that Microsoft needs to be handicapped.

They're an anti-consumer organization, as demonstrated by the requirement to ship a version of Windows without Media Player - something that absolutely not one single user asked for. And further demonstrated by their attempts to thwart security in Windows by claiming that making Windows "too secure" is unfair to companies that produce security products. That's like going after Toyota because their hybrid cars are "unfair" to oil companies. Whatever happened to what's best for the ****ing customer?

[Andareed]

Basically what it boils down to is that the EC feel that Microsoft needs to be handicapped.

They're an anti-consumer organization, as demonstrated by the requirement to ship a version of Windows without Media Player - something that absolutely not one single user asked for. And further demonstrated by their attempts to thwart security in Windows by claiming that making Windows "too secure" is unfair to companies that produce security products. That's like going after Toyota because their hybrid cars are "unfair" to oil companies. Whatever happened to what's best for the ****ing customer?

Ultimately competition is the best thing for customers. If a company has little competition, why would it be motivated to innovate? That said, I think the EC is a bit over-the-top in what it views as anti-competitive behavior.

Toyota doesn't have a monopoly on automobiles, so it's not a great comparison. If Canada Post (which arguably has a monopoly on mail delivery in Canada) started adding new services that compete with Purolator/FedEx, Purolator/FedEx would claim anti-competitive practices.

[mightyflight]

...They're an anti-consumer organization, as demonstrated by the requirement to ship a version of Windows without Media Player - something that absolutely not one single user asked for. ...

I want one without the bloat (ie. media player, IE, movie maker...)

[ana04]

So this is about lack of innovation? :unsure:

http://www.betanews.com/article/EU_Threate...tion/1172764299

[cybershark]

And the people in Europe want to know why Vista costs more than in the US? Send your thank you notes to the EC

[.Ark]

And the people in Europe want to know why Vista costs more than in the US? Send your thank you notes to the EC

http://ec.europa.eu/comm/competition/contact_en.html :D

[Allan]

Don't give them any ideas.

Oops sorry ... did I say 1ply? I ment THREE PLY cuz then you don't have to use as much :nod:

[Aero Ultimate]

And the people in Europe want to know why Vista costs more than in the US? Send your thank you notes to the EC

That has nothing to do with the EC, it's just the generally greedy attitude of MS - Windows and other MS products have always been much more expensive here in the EU, even before the anti-trust rulings!

Also, it's quite arrogant that you are trying to speak for everyone, Brandon, in claiming that there is no one who wouldn't want that Media Player crap. Even though MS is forcing the Media Player crap onto everyone installing XP or Vista, there is still quite an amount of people who don't want it - which is the reason why there is quite alot of other media players still, and also the reason for programs like nLite which lets people remove the unwanted Media Player.

If anyone is anti-consumer here, it's no one but MS as they're seriously stifling competition and thus prevent innovation. Just take a look at IE6 - MS didn't update it for many years as it had successfully eliminated any competition and thus prevented any new innovation from happening. Only with the recent rise of Firefox (and also Opera, to a smaller extent), MS was getting competition again and was thus forced to create an updated and improved IE - IE7. Without cmpetition, MS wouldn't have bothered to ever update IE6 anymore.

Edited March 6, 2007 by Chad

[andresjk]

EU is becoming the next RIAA...

[ichi]

EU is becoming the next RIAA...

Sorry but that didn't make any sense :unsure: