Microsoft will be in a familiar position tomorrow when it stands before a European Grand Chamber of the Court of First Instance, where the special 13-judge tribunal will be issuing its final verdict in an antitrust case that has been dragging on since long after the software giant finished its controversial little dance with the Department of Justice here in the US. According to Reuters, the five-point ruling will be handed down in Brussels on live TV at 3.30AM EDT, and will determine the validity of the European Commission's 2004 decision against Redmond on issues of bundling and interoperability as well as the subsequent sanctions that have totaled
hundreds of millions of dollars to date. The best case scenario for Microsoft would see the court overturning the underlying decisions -- automatically canceling the sanctions -- while the EU obviously hopes that its rulings and penalties will be upheld, effectively giving it a mandate to press for even more concessions along with increased leverage against other non-compliant companies. We'll have the decision for you immediately after it's released, so set your alarms folks....
Reader Comments (Page 1 of 2)
JDizzle @ Sep 16th 2007 1:15PM
Windows XP without any fluff attached! We can dream... we can dream...
ethana2 @ Sep 16th 2007 1:56PM
Tux says "hi".
E71 @ Sep 16th 2007 1:18PM
Solution: stop doing with those EU commies! .|. EU
E71 @ Sep 16th 2007 1:18PM
Solution: stop doing business with those EU commies! .|. EU
SymbiX @ Sep 16th 2007 1:41PM
Yeah, yeah, stop doing business with those american commies as well and let the propaganda begin, fyi, there is not even one communist government in the union, why is it that some americans think so ?
blarvh @ Sep 16th 2007 1:41PM
I don't think that is an option for M$, as they are in for making $ and €.
Europe is bigger than you think.
Also EU should somehow get MS to remove the rumored DRM, and the Genuine check.
Tis---strange @ Sep 16th 2007 2:09PM
Oh, well, who thinks the EU is communistic has really no clue about european politics. They are much more neoliberal than most of the countries that are a part of it.
The German 'communist'government has (just as an example) much, much more wealthredistribution- and customerprotecting laws than the EU likes to see (although the EU is working on changing that).
learn something about real politics that do involve more than smiling and blaming commies...
boomhauer @ Sep 18th 2007 4:54PM
commies = someone more socialist than america.
since the us is pretty much socialistic now anyway, its really not that inaccurate to call a country further left than the US a commie, as they are closer to communism than most other forms ;)
Cellenin @ Sep 16th 2007 1:25PM
And the "I hate Microsoft" bandwagon continues.
i.c. weiner @ Sep 16th 2007 1:29PM
I'm already on the bandwagon
ethana2 @ Sep 16th 2007 2:06PM
The bandwagon is the OS everybody uses even though it's horrible because "every one else does", and loses another plank every rock it hits as it crashes down the side of the gorge we call The Future.
I have my own reasons for disliking Microsoft. They happen to be very common ones, but I've made my choices myself.
ryan @ Sep 16th 2007 3:41PM
I use 5 Operating Systems. I love them all in their own ways. Windows XP, Linux, FreeBSD, Mac OS X, and Solaris for work. I guess ScoViz for work also.
Dhanik @ Sep 16th 2007 1:34PM
As of now, Google seems a lot more evil to me than Microsoft.
Isn't Google's motto "Don't be evil"?
Ryhan @ Sep 16th 2007 1:39PM
how? All they have done is integrate ads into almost every part of our lifestyle, and hopefully (one day) into our phones. They control our worthless little blogs, our email, our searches, our instant messages, our maps, our youtube videos, and of course, our quest for good p0rn
dj-kenpo @ Sep 16th 2007 1:50PM
rhyan... was that a sarcastic "how?"//
god I hope so...
Dhanik @ Sep 16th 2007 1:52PM
Rhyan, you forgot that they have access to each and every file on our computer through this litte program called Google Desktop.
Thinking of it, Google has the largest bot collection in the world after Microsoft
ethana2 @ Sep 16th 2007 2:08PM
Google's commitment to openness is nearly unparalleled, investing heavily in corporate transparency and open source software. If there is any one who is trying their best /not/ to be evil, it's them.
Kurtis @ Dec 20th 2007 2:50PM
FYI, you don't have to use Google products.
There are other blog sites, email services, search engines, instant messaging programs, maps, and video sites. Albeit, the Google versions of these things are way better. But seriously, if you think Google is going to rat you out about your coordination of terrorist attacks through gmail or tell all of your friends that you were searching for gay porn... umm... then don't use Google, jackass.
It's one thing when a government forces citizens to divulge private information. It's a completely different thing when a corporation offers services that are completely optional (though superior) that could (but aren't) be used to invade your privacy.
If you think Google is evil, then don't use it and stop whining.
John @ Sep 16th 2007 10:56PM
Wait, you don't HAVE to use Google? I thought we had to, just like we HAVE to use Microsoft. Because if not using Microsoft is an option, then this whole issue is idiotic...
Hugh Newmark @ Sep 16th 2007 1:41PM
Apple fanboys: Rejoice.
ethana2 @ Sep 16th 2007 2:13PM
Race you to 20% desktop market share. You on?
Go ahead and drop support for PPC. We'll be ready. Oh yeah, and tell us when you're ready to play on /our/ hardware.
What are we at, 3% each? Let the games begin.
Hugh Newmark @ Sep 16th 2007 2:20PM
I'm a Linux guy, so all of this is irrelevant to me, but if I had to choose between the two evils, I would sway towards Microsoft, at least I don't have to RockBox a Zune to get it to play music.
RaiderX @ Sep 19th 2007 5:56PM
That's because the zune can't even run RockBox properly.
Hugh Newmark @ Sep 19th 2007 6:33PM
I have a Toshiba Gigabeat, the processor is ridiculous for an mp3 player, so Rockbox runs beautifully on it.
Simon @ Sep 16th 2007 1:42PM
I don't understand what this is all about...can somebody tell me in simple terms, please?
dj-kenpo @ Sep 16th 2007 1:51PM
microsoft tried to touch you in an inappropriate way. now they're in tha troublez.
ethana2 @ Sep 16th 2007 2:09PM
Exactly. I say no copy of windows should be allowed within 3 miles of a grade school :)
Edubuntu FTW!
Simon @ Sep 16th 2007 2:14PM
Do you think those comments are smart? I actually want to know! And its a bit rich coming from you two, you obviously havent reached 8th grade yet.
dj-kenpo @ Sep 16th 2007 2:49PM
if you 'actually' want to know THAT bad, then stop whining and type 3 words into google. I'm not your secretary.
if you want to speak of grade 8, then fine, you don't show up to grade 8 not knowing the abc's. there's prerequisites. You likewise don't show up to comment on this post to say you don't even know what's going on. now refer to paragraph one, again.
Simon @ Sep 16th 2007 2:58PM
Impressive. But, why do you think i was asking you directly? I dont expect you to be my 'secretary', i was hoping a decent human being would read it and maybe help me out...but apparrently they are hard to come by in comments on engadget.
Kurtis @ Sep 16th 2007 3:28PM
SHUT UP! please.
dj-kenpo @ Sep 16th 2007 3:34PM
ohh come off it, don't make it try to sound like someone lacks decency because YOU'RE too lazy to read it yourself.
quit whining and type the damn 3 words into google instead of the 17 trying to reply to me.
it's assumed that if you're reading engadget that you know what's going on, and if you don't know what's going on then it's still assumed you can work google.
--I promise from this point forward to smother everyone able to post on the internet but not actually USE it with love. clearly I have nothing better to do with my day because I just replied to you instead of finishing my current ajax script.
Simon @ Sep 16th 2007 3:54PM
Ah so you're a web developer? That explains EVERYTHING. I suppose you dont see people, you see noobs and t3h 1337...well luckily for me, i live in the real world, and yes i do know how to use google, and probably better than you, too, so STFU, nub.
And i read engadget because i am interested in the subject matter. This is a legal issue, so i really don't understand it, unfortunately i have a mental block for these things.
And i know there were too many commas up there.
Use the internet 'with love'? Get a girlfriend, already. Oh wait, not going to happen.
dj-kenpo @ Sep 16th 2007 4:04PM
for gods sakes SHUT UP ALREADY. stop stomping your feet, it's not working.
Simon @ Sep 16th 2007 4:10PM
It's a shame people like you exist. End.
John @ Sep 16th 2007 5:05PM
Sorry Simon, but the DJ-Kenpo p0wned you at every turn.
Simon @ Sep 16th 2007 5:11PM
Sorry John, but its either pwned or owned. Choose one.
John @ Sep 16th 2007 6:33PM
Lol, now that we see you have no life and have to come back with something for every little thing someone says, I am going to go back to the real world and get some real work done while you come back and reply to this (or not, since I just called you out on it...).
Simon @ Sep 16th 2007 6:42PM
I wouldnt think so much of yourself that you can change my behaviour. I'll reply to whatever i want. Nobody asked you for your opinion on who came out of that conversation on top, you chose to respond. Who has no life now? You, that's who.
Andir3.0 @ Sep 16th 2007 10:39PM
Oh Oh... attack me next because I'm not going to read for you.
Autopsy15 @ Sep 16th 2007 10:54PM
Ok, what this is all about is that Europe/UK is deciding to call Microsoft a monopoly or not. A monopoly is a business/company that dominates in what ever it does. No other business in its field can compete with it.
If the court decides to call Microsoft a monopoly it will be split up into smaller companies, only in Europe though. Which will let smaller computer businesses grow and succeed or just utterly fail on their own.
I just did this so if you hadn't already looked it up on Google or whatever you would know. And, to the other guys who responded to this, you don't have to be so mean. You could have told him what it was all about or just told him kindly to look it up on Google.
Simon @ Sep 17th 2007 2:49AM
Thank you, Autopsy15, at least someone out there isnt getting too happy off the anonymity of the internet. It wasnt that complicated after all was it? :D
Lara @ Sep 17th 2007 4:56AM
You're still a nob. If you can't do your own research, you shouldn't be on the internet. It's people like you that make it crap.
Simon @ Sep 17th 2007 5:11AM
Oh, I'm so sorry! I bow down to you, supreme ruler of the internet! The problem is with you. It's not for you, or any other opinionated person using the internet, to judge anyone else. Having a feeling of online presence does not automatically mean you are anything more than any other person with the ability to type.
Lara @ Sep 17th 2007 5:13AM
Yes, it does. You're a nob and everyone agrees.
Simon @ Sep 17th 2007 5:15AM
It doesnt. Not everyone agrees with you, because i just asked a REAL person sitting next to me.
Lara @ Sep 17th 2007 5:28AM
Would you go to a lecture on web technologies and ask the lecturer what a browser was?
Not unless you were a nob.
Would you buy Haykin's "Communication Systems" then write to him and ask him what he meant by 'mobile terminal'?
Not unless you were a nob.
Would you capitalise the letters in the word 'real', thereby suggesting that I have no friends other than on the internet, and also that the dozens of Engadget users who think you are a nob are not real?
Not unless you were, infact, a nob.
Guide for future internet use:
Next time you read something that you don't understand, decide if you have an interest in it.
If you have an interest, go and learn about it until you understand.
If you don't have an interest, go and read something else.
Simon @ Sep 17th 2007 5:33AM
How about minding your own business and not telling me what to do? Is that really so difficult?
MattUK @ Sep 16th 2007 2:30PM
If Microsoft wants to do busniess in the worlds richest market, it has to follow the law of the land. Just as if European companies have to follow the rules in the USA. No compnay or individual shall be above the law!
Anyone, the companies that will benefit from Microsoft ruling will, surprise surprise, be mainly US ones. Only an idiot would think this has to do with simplisitc nationalism....we all dont have a 'US mindset'
Rob @ Sep 16th 2007 2:57PM
This is a lot of noise for nothing.
What has happened to MS since the whole Department of Justice shows?
Nothing. MS still behaves and conducts its business in the same fashion it did before all these politicians gather up to "show" their constituents that they were actually "doing" something to earn their pay. It's all fluff.
However, maybe the EU will actually get something done and remind these corporations how to behave more properly. Apple, you're next.
Rank me low. But, that's the price you pay for being honest.