[ILUG] [OT] EU forcing MS to open up?

[Chris Higgins]

On Thu, 18 Mar 2004 15:21:10 -0000
Richard Eibrand <richard at eibrand.net> wrote:

> Hey all,
> 
> Some of you may have read this, or not as the case may be, but this is
> 
> somewhat interesting.
> 
> [snip]
> "As well as a fine, it is expected that the EC will order Microsoft to
> 
> offer a version of Windows with its Media Player software stripped out
> and demand Microsoft open up its software to developers so rivals can
> make interoperable software."
> [/snip]
>  from 
> http://www.techworld.com/news/index.cfm?fuseaction=displaynews&NewsID=1229
> 
> 
> The saying, "Opening a can of worms" springs to mind...

My reading of things is that MS & the EU have come to some 
sort of agreement on how to deal with the media player - but
the sticking point is on how the EU want MS to prevent this
happening with other products in the future. 

This is where the US remediation requirements fell down,
everyone knew what MS were at, but by the time the legal
cases finished it didn't really matter as the technology
industry had moved on.

If the EU can get some ruling in place that allows them to
invoke it easily in the future ( without the years of legal
cost ) - then MS are in a difficult position. 

If MS come out of this with a fine, and a slap on the wrists,
then they will just continue the process ( and adjust pricing
accordingly ). 

0: Install app as default, kill industry sector
1: Get sued
2: claim "integrated experience",
3: get fined
4: pay fine
5: analyse windows-update stats on next most popular application
6: goto 0

Look at the history :

No global competition[1] remaining for
 a/ Command shells
 b/ TCP/IP stacks
 c/ Office productivity
 d/ Media software

Global competition remains for
 a/ Databases
 b/ Anti-virus
 

The databases one is interesting as MS is using Exchange
to shoehorn SQLserver into offices ( why pay for another
database server when we have one on the mail server ?)

The Anti-virus one is also interesting with the recent
statements that XP SP2 will have some 'anti-virus' stuff
installed.

[1] Before you (the general population rather than specifically Richard)
    rant, I'm quite well aware that there are loads
    of products which match each of these areas - but they are not 
    available to the lowest common denominator "end user" - who
    uses what they are given and don't want to stray any further.
    So there is no real competition ( no comparison of features,
    no drive from one vendor to out-do the other vendor in stability
    performance, cost, security ... etc )
> 
> Regards, R
> 
> -- 
> Irish Linux Users' Group
> http://www.linux.ie/mailman/listinfo/ilug/
> 


--

Chris Higgins                              Cisco Learning Partner
Darach Technology Ltd                      tel: +353-1-6204370
email: chris.higgins at darach.ie          fax: +353-1-6204371
http://www.darach.ie