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EU Fines Microsoft Record $1.3B

AOIFE WHITE | February 27, 2008

Associated Press


BRUSSELS, Belgium — The European Union fined Microsoft Corp. a record $1.3 billion Wednesday for the amount it charges rivals for software information.

EU regulators said the company charged "unreasonable prices" until last October to software developers who wanted to make products compatible with the Windows desktop operating system.

The fine is the largest ever for a single company and brings to just under $2.5 billion the amount the EU has demanded Microsoft pay in a long-running antitrust dispute.

Microsoft immediately said the issues for which it was fined have been resolved and the company was making its products more open.

The fine comes less that a week after Microsoft said it would share more information about its products and technology in an effort to make it work better with rivals' software and meet the demands of antitrust regulators in Europe.

But EU Competition Commissioner Neelie Kroes remained skeptical and said Microsoft was under investigation in two additional cases.

"Talk is cheap," Kroes said. "Flouting the rules is expensive."

Microsoft's actions have stifled innovation and affected millions of people around the world, Kroes said. She called the record 899 million euro fine "a reasonable response to a series of quite unreasonable actions."

"We could have gone as high as 1.5 billion euros ($2.23 billion)," she said. "The maximum amount is higher than what we did at the end of the day."

The EU alleged that Microsoft withheld crucial interoperability information for desktop PC software _ where it is the world's leading supplier _ in an effort squeeze into a new market and damage rivals.

The company delayed compliance for three years, the EU said, only making changes in October to the patent licenses for companies that need data to create software that works with Microsoft.

ORIGINAL: mjk428

Hopefully MS will tell them to get stuffed and pull out of the EU market.

If it comes to war, I'm sure that Gates can field the stronger army.

If it comes to war, I'm sure that Gates can field the stronger army.

The European Union does not have a choice. Europeans cannot make a better operating system so they have to try to make money off of those that can somehow.

If it comes to war, I'm sure that Gates can field the stronger army.

It will probably crash and have to reboot on the way over!

ORIGINAL: Marauders

The European Union does not have a choice. Europeans cannot make a better operating system so they have to try to make money off of those that can somehow.

It isn't about the OS as much as Microsoft using the OS to stifle competion in other areas or extort fees.

It isn't about the OS as much as Microsoft using the OS to stifle competion in other areas or extort fees.

ORIGINAL: tanker4145

It isn't about the OS as much as Microsoft using the OS to stifle competion in other areas or extort fees.

The only one being extorted is Microsoft. Some countries are in a tizzy because they can't compete. That must hurt the pride pretty bad to know you can't compete with what "everyone" knows is a horrible OS.

ORIGINAL: mack2

Dont' worry, the euros will soon compete! With Linux!

hahahahahahahahahahhahahahahahahaha

Amazing how apple with it's preloaded software and terrible OS never gets this.

Surely their iPod needing to have iTunes to work is the exact same thing? Should fine them billions of dollars.

ORIGINAL: Motomouse

@ tanker & orange

... some countries are in a tizzy because they can't compete ...

Sorry I have to giggle, when I see presumptive descendants of the likes that left europe cause they could not compete over here, now brawling today about market dominating american superheros from microsoft. ("Meet the fource" anyone? http://msdn2.microsoft.com/en-us/events/aa740358.aspx)

... where does the standardization come from ...

I hope not from your point of view or microsofts, I prefer the existing differences and cherish the variety resulting from social discourse

But keep trying to achieve standards by subjugating to monopoly if it fits you. One size fits it all. Be happy! I am sure your future strategy gaming needs will be fulfilled by EA.

And cause I like variety, please don´t change your mind. Thanks!

(Please be aware, that this is a totally polemic&malicious reply to orange&tanker and not a sincere posting at any rate [8D])

Regards
Motomouth