EU settles affairs with Microsoft, no fines this time
By Vlad Savov 
posted December 16th 2009 8:24AM
posted December 16th 2009 8:24AM
Momentous moment alert -- the EU has just closed the book on its lengthy investigation into potential Microsoft antitrust violations. Lasting through nearly the entire noughties, The European Commission's dissatisfaction with what it perceived as monopolistic practices from Redmond has resulted in some hefty fines over the years, but the conclusion to hostilities has been pleasingly amicable. In exchange for Microsoft's legally binding promise to offer up to 12 other browsers alongside its own, the European executive will give the company a clean bill of competition-friendly health. All this means is that the ballot screen will be around on Windows operating systems for at least the next five years (starting in mid-March 2010), which should give the EU plenty of time to think up the next batch of allegations to throw Microsoft's way.
It's about time the EU took a chill pill.
@dcoaster You guys are just jealous that we here are better than you guys on the other side of the pond.
@dcoaster
so basically what you are saying is that competition isn't good .. thank god you're not running anything important.
@dcoaster
Or... maybe Microsoft should stop selling Windows in Europe until all the European businesses start to realize how badly they need that OS for their existing Windows-platform-only software and eventually beg Microsoft to come back...
@E71
what has that got to do with microsoft doing business fairly ? get your head out of your ar*e
This is quite stupid, when you buy a car, you expect seats don't you? Without seats the car becomes quite useless for many useful things, obviously the car still works, its just missing an important part.
So, Windows, now comes with a browser again, my point transfers. You buy an operating system and expect to be able to get on the web with it, even if you do change the browser, its important to have a web browser on there in the first place. You cant to many things without a web browser.
@blaineoliver
i see your analogy , and I agree with it, it is stupid ... but you can't look at this in the way you are looking at it. If you google anticompetitive law, you can see what it is trying to do. People make money from browsers .. even free browsers. Having a browser tied into a system that is a monopoly is why this come about. There is no simple solution, but ignoring these laws means you end up in a world where all the restaurants are mcdonalds because noone else can survive... and nobody wants that...
@dcoaster : In other news, the EU has opened proceedings against Microsoft on behalf of the For-Pay Calculator Applications lobby, for monopolistic practices in including Calculator, a free program in Windows. Their claim: "Calculator has ruined their lives, marriages, and hopes of ever, ever getting laid again." The asked for amount of damages is $36B, and the future inclusion of a calculator ballot screen in all forthcoming versions of Windows. If they win, Microsoft will have to have employees bicycle (cars are illegal in Europe) to every Windows household, apologize, and offer to install a for-pay "calculator-like" application.
By they will be taking a duce over win 9.. or 8.
@dds1043
Please learn to spell correctly, it is douch not duce.
Duce is wat you have when two players are tied in the sport of Tennis!
@dds1043
darned tablet, that should be douche
@Infinity
For the record its spelled "douche" not "douch" champ.
http://medical-dictionary.thefreedictionary.com/Douche
+5 points for effort though!
@Infinity No, its duce. Thats latin for second. You've never heard of taking a duce. Well, I can tell how old you are.
@dds1043
"You keep using that word. I do not think it means what you think it means. "
You're looking for the word "deuce"
@logicbombde
http://www.urbandictionary.com/define.php?term=Duce
second definition.
to take a nice long shit
im off to take a "duce"
They are out of control...
While they at it. Lets yell at Apple for only including OS X on their Apple hardware.
Or how about Nokia for only including Symbian on their phones.
Hey! Lets jump on the Ford dealerships for selling only new Ford cars also.
These assholes need to learn. Monopoly is for kids. Hmph.
@iDavey
While i agree that the EU was way off base hear, so is your comparison. Neither apple nor Ford is a monopoly. Microsoft is according to US district Judge Thomas Jackson. You need to read the findings of fact from the antitrust case
http://www.justice.gov/atr/cases/f3800/msjudgex.htm
@Edobe
You did understand that was what we call a joke.
I'm fully aware of the accusations and such of basically eliminating competition from the hardware they are on.
But I find it in MY opinion to be idiotic. That's what you do in a business. You don't have the clout and money to throw around...back down and continue on at your on peril.
All in all, this won't hurt MS. Browser won't be number one...but they'll still be using Windows. So I'm sure Mr Steve "Tongue Flicker" Ballmer aint too worried...
No use bitching about it. The EU got what they want. Honestly, I don't even think they CARED about the public's interest, monopolies =! evil. But in this case they were able to persuade the judge not to trust Microsoft because of the antitrust issues back then; and since they are a monopoly; you just put 2 and 2 together. I can also bet that 60% of people over there will be confused by this new ballot screen, since 80% of Microsoft users either use IE and don't give 2 fucks, or downloaded another browser and got rid of IE...doesn't take much effort.
Apple is NOT a monopoly. Simply because they don't distribute OSX to everyone, just to...well..Apple. If you're asking how this pertains to Safari being packaged with OSX and defaulted as the browser, don't look to me for an answer; I don't know.
In any case, The EU turned Microsoft into their own personal money printing machine, and how it worked!
@Edobe
Those rulings were made 10 years ago when Compaq, IBM, Amiga, MS-DOS and BeOS were relevant -- and ruled that Apple wasn't. Frankly, it's a mish-mosh of misunderstanding and poor decisions.
@iDavey
My mistake I was unaware you were joking. I agree that this was ridiculous on the EU's part. The point I was making is that MS is only being treated this way because of what they have done in the past,
@ Reisa your right those ruling where made almost 10 years ago but they gave MS a bad rep. Kinda like someone who was sex offender 10 years ago. You would still be nervous if they were around your kids, No?
@Edobe
No prob. Yeah they are...but as others said below. If they are going to jump on one company for doing this...monopoly or not...they need to jump on everyone. It's not just because they have a monopoly, they are deeming this so called "atrocious act" as bad all over for any company to do.
I await the day that Apple gets slapped a fine...and gets this ballot Windows has...
@N900
I know what you are saying, but I look at it this way.
100% of Windows installations came with IE...
just like
100% of MAC computers come with OSX. And OSX comes with Safari.
Regardless of how many computers are sold I feel ALL OS manufacturers should have to abide by this.
@N900
Then they can select IE from the list if they want.. It is still one of the choices available.
If it's too confusing to pick a browser, how on earth are they going to pick a web site to go to?
@iDavey
I agree with your suggestions, even though you think you were joking and being sarcastic.
Wait... How are they going to fund themselves now? This was all like getting a ticket for going 36 in a 35.
@UnsilentMajority
You seem very intelligent and informed, but only according to your mom.
@Wwhat
Seems you are in the minority in both opinions and intelligence, and your mom agrees. If you think the amount of Microsoft EU government fines are justified you are just nuts. You are a person who loves over-bearing governance in the free market and you deserve zero respect.
So, when do they get all offended by Apple bundling Safari with OSX? Hmmmm.
@MatthewJ
I think that now with no more money coming from Microsoft (at least for a few years) and all these lawyers out of work, Apple and Safari are starting to look very interesting over in Brussels... *lol*
@MatthewJ As far as I can tell, Apple and Safari are a different kettle of fish. If you don't want Safari on your system, it's possible to trash it and just use Chrome, or FF.
The problem stemmed from not being able to remove IE, just install other options... as far as I can tell.
Now, Mobile Safari on the iPhone, well- watch your back kids!
Incidentally, are their other browsers for non Jailbroken iPhones?
@MatthewJ Since Apple is not majority anything, it's very much okay that they do it.
Only if you've become majority market shareholder does it count.
@Herbaceous Border Patrol
And that's what gets me. Why are these so called "protectors" feeling like the normal consumer is so stupid they can't just you know...IGNORE the browser entirely?
You don't want to use it, don't use it. The fact that I don't want to use IE and have the choice not to...that should be the main point.
Better to have the choice not to use it but the inability to delete it...rather than letting almost everything available on other hardware but making it basically worthless to use or having other's software run shitty on your hardware -side eyes a certain fruity company-
@iDavey The EU didn't go after Microsoft because of the inability to uninstall IE though, it was the fact that they were trying to protect the legions of computer using morons that don't know that alternatives exist and just stick with default. The subsequent demands for removability were just a way to hassle them for more money. Apple is liable for the exact same sort of thing with both OSX and iPhone.
Personally, I'm not of the opinion that Apple should be sued for the same reasons, I actually think its more than fair for a modern OS to have an internet browser included in it, and for that to be the browser of the company that has expended the time and energy to make it. But since they've decided that this isn't acceptable, it needs to be applied to everyone, not just one company. And not just because they're in the majority.
@MatthewJ
I agree completely. It's like...if you didn't include, you'd be chastised for not giving anyone the option to connect. You do include...and you're chastised for giving the public "no choice."
I'm so glad I don't live over there. Because I would take a toughbook to the head of every EU board member. And yes...if you are going to hop on one company, you might as well hop on them all. Monopoly or not. That should be the main thing.
But it's not too late to see them go after Apple next...
@iDavey Well the EU isn't all bad. I mean they do tend to always be litigating in order to protect people and their rights, however occasionally it goes against common sense.
@MatthewJ
Well..if Apple thinks the normal consumer isn't too smart to have common sense. And now EU doesn't think so. Maybe these two are on to something...
-puts tinfoil hat back on-
And that further proves that the EU is ACTUALLY Apple employees....
@MatthewJ Yeah, I know, citizens rights and duties.. What a bunch of pussies..
/s
I'd say you fell the same way as antitrust suit on Intel? Or it isn't the same thing? Abusing the market using your bigger funds and market share? Everyone got all worried about AMD, but looks like no one cares about Firefox.. Weird.
@Johanu Except in Intels case, there is a reasonable case that they did abuse their dominant position in the market with what they did. In my opinion, Microsoft were well within moral rights (obviously not legal ones) to bundle an internet browser with their own OS. I think its an insane situation when they can't. Why haven't the EU sued Marks and Spencers for only selling their own branded products in their stores? Bah. Makes no sense to me.
Also their laws on 'hate speech' are ridiculous and they have nannied nearly every aspect of life. "Unscrew cap by hand", etc.
@iDavey
Yeah you can easily ignore it, never mind that it took 10 years before we had a time when not half the sites demand you use IE and won't work otherwise, and many sites still do, and many bankingsites even still say when there's an issue 'we only support IE' even when the issue is not related to a browser, but they dismiss complaints that way.
So yeah that was so damn easy for everybody.
Some routers GUI pages don't even properly work in anything but IE.
And that is the problem, you create a fake 'standard' and so screw everybody else, same thing with other stuff from MS like WMV and WMP and such, and DXVA, it's all so 'easily ignored' right? hah, if only.
@MatthewJ
I actually think that those nannied aspects of life came mostly from US frivolous lawsuits.
Remember that one with the hot coffee at MacDonald's? Or why the rear view mirror in my Chevrolet states that "Objects are closer than they appear.". That's nannied alright.
Apple, watch your back. The EU will need to fund itself very soon and Windows 8 isn't coming until 2 years later. ;)
@Saad
It's the yanks for whom everything revolves around money, get your regions right.
The EU should give the money back to Microsoft. Who knows how much R&D suffered from all the stupid fines? The ballot screen isn't going to do much anyway. Most will still pick Explorer because they are familiar with it.
Who's the EU going to use as their personal ATM now?
@telstar
Do they pay you guy to spread this drivel? Or did rush tell you to go mouth idiocy.
Anyone who thinks that MS is a cashcow for them:
2006 Cartel, fine of 315 million euro to 30 companies manufacturing copper fittings.
2006 Cartel, fine of 520 million euro to manufactures of synthetic rubber
2007 Cartel, fine of 750 million euro to 11 highpowerline companies.
2007 Pricefixing, fine 220 million to beerbrewery Heineken.
2009 Fine of 1 billion euro to Intel.
Just a couple of them. They are not all after MS. There s a whole world out there doing wrong (according to EU). Still, i believe they are very touchy when it comes with MS.
@blade235 Plus finnish elevator company Kone got 220 million fine from EU because of Cartel. I'm not saying MS fines where right or wrong, but it's just not true that they are going only for USA company like some here want to believe. It's just that these USA based blogs and what not by some reason only talk about those ;)
"which should give the EU plenty of time to think up the next batch of allegations to throw Microsoft's way. "
Or give MS another five years to break the anti-monopoly regulations which I'm sure their lawyers are quite familiar with by now.
And to all the ones mentioning Apple, iTunes has actually been brought up on a national consumer protection level in quite a few European countries through the noughties (as we're apparently calling this decade), but mainly because they only allowed iTunes bought files to be played on iPods.
12 other browsers to choose from. People bitched when Win7 had 8 different versions (or however many it is) and they think the consumer is going to know which browser to choose?