Microsoft Under Third EU Investigation for OOXML 194
The Wall Street Journal and Information Week reported this morning that EU regulators have announced a third investigation into Microsoft's conduct on the desktop. This latest action demonstrates that while the EU has settled the case against Microsoft that ran for almost a decade, it remains as suspicious as ever regarding the software vendor's conduct, notwithstanding Microsoft's less combative stance in recent years. The news can be found in a story reported by Charles Forelle bylined in Brussells this morning. According to the Journal, the investigation will focus on whether Microsoft 'violated antitrust laws during a struggle last year to ratify its Office
software file format as an international standard.' The article also says that the regulators are 'stepping up scrutiny of the issue.'
Re:The EU can go to hell (Score:5, Interesting)
Re:The EU can go to hell (Score:1, Interesting)
Of course, the capitalists read these theories as well and were convinced that such aggregation is a real threat and is bad - thus the anti-trust laws were born out of a truly capitalist spirit.
Re:Compassion (Score:5, Interesting)
Let's hope some day, not too far in the future, we get to a point where the US and Europe work together in important international matters. Together, without trying to be identical. Rather, each having its own strong points, and filling in for each other as appropriate. Working in different ways toward a shared goal of democracy and peace.
Maybe I sound very dreamy, but I really don't think it's necessarily unrealistic, if a new US administration introduces a vision where the US is more multilaterally cooperative rather than bullying, willing to lead where leading is called for, and willing to cooperate where cooperation is called for.
(Presumably Europe has to modify its ways too, but I find it more difficult to pinpoint how.)
The EU needs to go somewhere (Score:3, Interesting)
It is not sensible to impose punishments that are completely invisible to the corporation and which Microsoft might never pay anyway. Why should they? They own most of the EU's financial computers and could easily out-last the EU itself if it ever came to a standoff.
I don't know what the EU could do to impose the rule of law on Microsoft - suspending business licenses there might be the only thing Microsoft would really notice, and even then, that's not remotely guaranteed.
Learning by doing (Score:2, Interesting)
Re:no sarcasm intended. (Score:4, Interesting)
Microsoft holds a monopoly position in two key areas; desktop operating systems and office integration software. It's attempt to buy itself ISO certification was a damned dirty trick, and an attempt to leverage its monopoly to maintain market dominance. It's being picked on because a monopoly is held up to a different standard than another company.
And the EU certainly isn't picking on Microsoft alone. Both Apple and Google seem to be in its sights as well.
Re:The EU needs to go somewhere (Score:5, Interesting)
no matter how much money you have, it is never a good idea to get into a standoff with a sovereign nation (unless you are also a sovereign nation, and then it's only a good idea sometimes).
I don't know what the EU could do to impose the rule of law on Microsoft - suspending business licenses there might be the only thing Microsoft would really notice, and even then, that's not remotely guaranteed.
The EU could invalidate all intellectual property protections for microsoft products in the EU.
Remember that the right of the corporation to even exist as an entity in the EU is at the sufferance of the government.
Re:How does that work? (Score:5, Interesting)
So were there a software fully compatible with the OOXML standard it would be completely useless in practice. And were it to follow Microsoft extensions it would need to follow, i.e. play catch-up giving Microsoft a huge advantage.
Still Microsoft could (and would) claim "ISO standard" in sales material (as you say in your point 5).
Re:The EU can go to hell (Score:5, Interesting)
Re:The EU needs to go somewhere (Score:3, Interesting)
They could but keep in mind those protections are part of the post WWII agreements. There are probably better solutions that don't involve teenagers dying.
Meddling goes both ways (Score:2, Interesting)
MS is trying to get OOXML accepted by a standards body. That is hardly an act requiring retaliation by the EU.
Re:Close To 20 Billion Dollars A Year At Stake (Score:5, Interesting)
If they lose a significant share, then support for alternatives will increase and lockin will decrease, eventually causing a cascade reaction causing microsoft to lose significant levels of marketshare elsewhere and be forced to fight against competitors in a more even marketplace.
Word for Word Lift (Score:3, Interesting)
My blog entry begins:
Sound familiar?- Andy