Microsoft accused by EU of harming web browser competition, again
By Thomas Ricker 
posted January 19th 2009 3:49AM
posted January 19th 2009 3:49AM
"Microsoft's tying of Internet Explorer to the Windows operating system harms competition between web browsers, undermines product innovation and ultimately reduces consumer choice."Microsoft has 8 weeks to reply to the charge. It's worth noting that while Apple bundles its Safari browser with OS X, Apple commands a much, much smaller share of the operating system and web browser markets globally, particularly outside of the US. The EU's ruling does, perhaps, shed some light on why Apple's App Store is suddenly stocked with a variety of browsers for the hot selling iPhone, eh? Regardless, we have a feeling that the Norwegian cats behind Opera are feeling pretty smug right about now; Google too, as it kicks back licking its Chromium chops on the road to dominating "The Cloud."
[Thanks, Marcus]
M$ should pull their product out of Europe and send the EU back to windows 3.1 and let them sink in for a while...but that probably wont happen till M$ gets china to stop pirating their every product lol
Microsoft won't do that for the simple reason that they know it would force the immediate migration of European computer systems to Linux and they're terrified of that happening. While we are still addicted to Windows we will continue to buy it but if we're forced to go "cold turkey" then there are alternatives.
Don't kid yourself - Windows is not a necessity and Microsoft can't afford to lose a region of the globe.
Wow
Give the EU another Windows N version and just hide Internet Explore, Media Player, Word Pad, Calculator, Notepad, Media Center, leave it ALL OUT or Disabled and go, here you go EU, this is what you get. Windows with NOTHING other then a ton of AOL or whatever. Then the computer places can sell DVDs with whatever Browser they want to install, and then go on from there. Install a Media Player, a Calculator, a Notepad, etc.
What is MS suppose to do? You have Deep pockets, and they want Money, there's not a whole lot you can do. So go ahead and sell a Striped down Version with everything Disabled if you can't completely remove it and Sell that version to the EU. Of course Sell it at the SAME PRICE. Not your Fault the EU doesn't want it with your software. You get enough people in the EU complaining and the EU might wise up. Your not going to have millions jumping on the Linux Wagon. Most programs and games and hardware still require Windows. You get rid of it all, they have nothing left to sue you over.
Then sell only WINDOWS N in the EU. Full price of course. Of course once they Install a Browser, then can go to MS site and download or Activate all the missing software if they want it!!! MS would have then Software Windows with NOTHING extra on it at all, and it's only the Customer that's now Installing what they want on their Computer. If it happens to be all the missing Windows stuff, Oh well. The Hardest Part is getting that first Browser on DVD to install. See you don''t want to make it easy to just activate Internet Explorer and never using another Browser to start off with. That's key. See you want to FORCE THEM to install a Browser from Disc first just to get on the Internet. See that starts the whole getting POed off at the EU. The whole point is you want NOTHING Extra at all Installed on them PC's. Completely strip down to pretty much Worthless until you start installing software yourself. I almost want MS to cut out Networking also, but I think that may be going a bit to far.
Just stop selling in Europe. Then just wait. When it cost them billions to change all their system they will learn to stop fucking around. Its not worth the aggravation. I use a Mac but Windows is still the basic standard for most things. If the EU wants to create their own system let them put the capital in and do it. if not STFU and let microsoft live their life. If you are too stupid to get another browser, then it shouldn't matter to you anyway.
This is just stupid. How about when the competing browser makers come up with their own OS, they can bundle their browser with it. Microsoft has pummeled other companies in just about every aspect of the market they enter into, that doesn't make them criminals, it makes them #1. by these rights, Microsoft can sue the Red Hat guys for including Thunderbird right? Or apple for including safari. Bottom line is the losers always wine.
I'm a geek who owns a dozen computers and works with OSX, Linux, and Windows. OSX and Linux come with Internet browsers bundled. How can that be okay but bad if Microsoft does it? If Windows comes without an Internet browser, then it will be THE ONLY OS WITHOUT ONE!
There is a LONG list of things I hate about Microsoft, but this ain't one of them. This whole thing is two-faced and transparent money-grubbing from European politicians. This is one I hope Microsoft wins.