Microsoft must pay $1.4bn to EU

[Tefal]

Just thought of something.

So, microsoft aren't allowed to ship Windows with IE or WMP installed.
You buy windows, and need a web browser. You go online to download one.

Oh, no! You can't go online since you don't have a web broser! Sucks be to you, better go to a friends house and download one onto a CD. >_>

lol

 

[Shoseki]

Look at it this way, outside of the forums on here the general PC user doesnt care how the internet works or looks as long as they can check youtube/hotmail and facebook. Now imagine a world where people buying a PC are given a choice of software to be pre installed for them. Then imagine the phonecalls to IT support when people cant work out what they are suppose to do. Implimenting media player and IE gives all those novice pc users the base. Its easy to find other alternatives if they want but giving them the choice in the first place would be a disaster waiting to happen.

Thats all fine and well, but why should the rest of us suffer from a monopoly exarcerated by idiots because they can't be bothered to raise themselves to the meagre levels of knowing how to click a slightly different system?

Don't try to play the elitist card with me, there are 5 year olds who can use the internet/computers better than most adults, and why? Because they ain't completely lazy ****s, thats why, and they are used to being spoon fed. Well, if you don't let them get away with it, maybe they'd learn something.

 

[Tefal]

Thats all fine and well, but why should the rest of us suffer from a monopoly exarcerated by idiots because they can't be bothered to raise themselves to the meagre levels of knowing how to click a slightly different system?

Don't try to play the elitist card with me, there are 5 year olds who can use the internet/computers better than most adults, and why? Because they ain't completely lazy ****s, thats why, and they are used to being spoon fed. Well, if you don't let them get away with it, maybe they'd learn something.

but you don't suffer from a monopoly there are a wide range of free or paid for alternatives you can get

 

[Shoseki]

but you don't suffer from a monopoly there are a wide range of free or paid for alternatives you can get

Funny, I've never seen Open Office or Firefox in PC world, or any of the other million options... but then they are free, why would a business show them?

Its no in businesses' interests to, thats why, and PC World is pretty much paid and bought out by microsoft, as are nearly every other PC "manufacturer".

 

[Fr0dders]

Actually the Media Player thing is like BMW selling you a car with a flush fitted radio that fits perfectly, but means that every time you fit a third party radio it ends up looking awful becuase they've not use industry standard DIN sized head unit holes, basically precluding the use of third party radios without hassle.

Oh wait, this is exactly what they did with my car.

ive used exactly the same analagy when discussing this with people

forcing MS to sell Windows without IE and Media Player because its anti competitive is like saying its anti competitive to Alpine that BMW include a headunit in the car.

 

[Deleted member 651465]

The Ipod has approx 85% of the portable music player market, and Apple only lets Itunes and the products sold on itunes work with the Ipod and vice versa. (you can get applications other than itunes to load music onto an ipod, but Apple tends to deliberately break them every firmware update)

That's their way of controlling the content that goes on an iPod.

If they let any iPod game (for example) on to iTunes and it bricked the iPod then that's a lot of unwanted headache for Apple.

Apple has said that is doesn't deliberately break the software, but that it might as a result of the new software/firmware updates.

You can't really blame them for patching holes/bugs that allow unauthorised access in the first place.


That said, I do feel sorry for the amount of lawsuits that are hurled at Gates n' Co.
Oh, and Apple's pig-headed-ness regarding not licensing FairPlay is only hurting them in the long run (see: BBC iPlayer)

 

[Psyk]

Funny, I've never seen Open Office or Firefox in PC world, or any of the other million options... but then they are free, why would a business show them?

But they still exist and you are free to use them. As you said, maybe people shouldn't be spoon-fed what to put on their computer.

 

[Dynix]

I don't understand why Microsoft should be fined for shipping a product they make how they want it. Sure, some Developers can cry that they need more information to code up some program or whatnot, but Microsoft shouldn't be forced to hand over anything they don't want.

Microsoft should hit back and impose some form of sanction on the EU tbfh because it's ridiculous.

 

[NathanE]

OK I take back my comment that I didn't think the boys at Firefox have ever said things along the lines of "boo hoo there is undocumented APIs which they won't let us use ". With a twist though... read on!

http://apple.slashdot.org/article.pl?sid=08/02/28/2339246&from=rss

Vladimir Vukicevic of the Firefox team stumbled upon some questionable practices from Apple while trying to improve the performance of Firefox. Apparently, Apple is using some undocumented APIs that give Safari a significant performance advantage over other browsers. Of course, "undocumented" means that non-Apple developers have to try and reverse-engineer these interfaces to get the same level of performance. You really have to wonder what Apple is thinking, considering the kind of retaliation Microsoft has gotten for similar practices.

Priceless.

 

[photoshop]

hmmm so should all cars come without a head-unit/satnav as they are restricting compertition?

Should all remotes (that you get with electrical devices) come without batteries because that limits compertition?

Should all Barratt/Wimpey homes come without hotpoint (or whoever they use) fridge freezers because that limits compertition?

Should my local Tesco be moved 10miles out so that its next to Morrisons and not before because its limits compertition?


Microsoft should just pull all of its Operating System's out of Europe (but sell other software). Then we'll see whos laughing......

 

[jas72]

hmmm so should all cars come without a head-unit/satnav as they are restricting compertition?

not all cars come with satnav

Should all remotes (that you get with electrical devices) come without batteries because that limits compertition?

Batteries run dry and have to be replaced

Should all Barratt/Wimpey homes come without hotpoint (or whoever they use) fridge freezers because that limits compertition?

Barratt and wimpy don't build 93% of new homes also fridge freezers don't last for the lifetime of the house.

Should my local Tesco be moved 10miles out so that its next to Morrisons and not before because its limits compertition?

Has't tesco been already investigated for monopoly tactics ie buying land to stop other shops from building near their stores?

 

[photoshop]

not all cars come with satnav



Batteries run dry and have to be replaced



Barratt and wimpy don't build 93% of new homes also fridge freezers don't last for the lifetime of the house.



Has't tesco been already investigated for monopoly tactics ie buying land to stop other shops from building near their stores?

1. All cars come with a headunit.
2. Doesnt matter if they run dry, they are still provided
3. They still build many thousands of homes which would mean many thousands of fridge/freezers
4. Tesco got investigated but no charges brought against it.....

 

[platypus]

Their time will come. The EU is just waiting for them to get to such a profitable level where it is worthwhile fining them for it. Not only just for that though - but their whole concept of locking the iPhone down to just specific networks. If that isn't limiting consumer choice... then...

Regarding the iPhone though, if a government cared enough they can force Apple into providing unlocked phones, cf: France.

 

[Dolph]

That's their way of controlling the content that goes on an iPod.

If they let any iPod game (for example) on to iTunes and it bricked the iPod then that's a lot of unwanted headache for Apple.

Apple has said that is doesn't deliberately break the software, but that it might as a result of the new software/firmware updates.

You can't really blame them for patching holes/bugs that allow unauthorised access in the first place.

Excuse me while I pick myself up off the floor from laughing to hard...

If MS was doing the same there would be utter uproar, why do Apple get the benefit of the doubt?

 

[NathanE]

Excuse me while I pick myself up off the floor from laughing to hard...

If MS was doing the same there would be utter uproar, why do Apple get the benefit of the doubt?

Same reason that Google does They're "hip" and "cool" and speak like they just saved the world on their web site's "About Us" page.

 

[Dolph]

Same reason that Google does They're "hip" and "cool" and speak like they just saved the world on their web site's "About Us" page.

I loved the idea that Google buying Yahoo was less monopolistic than MS when MS made a purchase offer...

 

[Psyk]

Should all remotes (that you get with electrical devices) come without batteries because that limits compertition?

I've got a better one. Should TVs come without remotes? You can buy 3rd party TV remotes but most people don't get them because the TV comes with one. Clearly TV manufacturers should be forced to not bundle remotes with their TVs.

 

[MrMoonX]

this is shocking im stunned as to why they are fining them this much

 

[scorza]

Excuse me while I pick myself up off the floor from laughing to hard...

If MS was doing the same there would be utter uproar, why do Apple get the benefit of the doubt?

How long has it taken the EU to get this far? How many complaints have been made against Microsoft?

 

[Kohaashi]

Ever wondered why Internet Explorer loads so fast? It's because Internet Explorer is built and tied in so deeply to the OS.

Firefox loads up faster than IE for me.