This one has been running so long that I’m frankly pig-sick of it now. The EU clearly have been wanting to turn the thumbscrews into Microsoft for so long that they’ve forgotten their original gripe with them. Not that the EU would ever act in a vindictive, recalcitrant or vengeful way, of course. Still, it would seem that Redmond’s [rather reticent] response to the EU’s 2004 antitrust ruling has now suddenly been deemed inadequate. Again.
The problem centres around one of the requirements laid out by the EU that Microsoft must adhere to: the provision of documentation to aid software developers creating programs to be more interoperable with Windows Server products. While Microsoft were never exactly ‘swift’ in acceding to ANY of the EU’s requests, they certainly have dragged their feet the most in respect of the documentation issue.
In short, this is the ultimate court[room]-based tennis match, with a seemingly never-ending rally going between the EU and Microsoft. As soon as the former pitches another allegation against the software giant, Redmond hits back with an imaginative ‘return’ argument or objection.
My biggest gripe with this enormously expensive, tedious and protracted affair is the pointlessness of it all. The EU can (and no doubt will) pursue Microsoft like a hunted beast for years to come and tragically achieve precious little in doing so. Just look at the requirement of Redmond having to provide a media-player-free version of Windows XP to be sold in Europe. This 'N' version of XP has been bought by all of six people, I’m informed. And five of the those purchased it erroneously.
‘The case continues…’
The problem centres around one of the requirements laid out by the EU that Microsoft must adhere to: the provision of documentation to aid software developers creating programs to be more interoperable with Windows Server products. While Microsoft were never exactly ‘swift’ in acceding to ANY of the EU’s requests, they certainly have dragged their feet the most in respect of the documentation issue.
In short, this is the ultimate court[room]-based tennis match, with a seemingly never-ending rally going between the EU and Microsoft. As soon as the former pitches another allegation against the software giant, Redmond hits back with an imaginative ‘return’ argument or objection.
My biggest gripe with this enormously expensive, tedious and protracted affair is the pointlessness of it all. The EU can (and no doubt will) pursue Microsoft like a hunted beast for years to come and tragically achieve precious little in doing so. Just look at the requirement of Redmond having to provide a media-player-free version of Windows XP to be sold in Europe. This 'N' version of XP has been bought by all of six people, I’m informed. And five of the those purchased it erroneously.
‘The case continues…’
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