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211 Comments
- FreakyT, on 05/16/2009, -24/+159I hate to say it, but I think Microsoft's right on this one.
- drmsux, on 05/17/2009, -7/+95Up next: Windows 8 CD asks if you want to install Ubuntu instead.
- JaycobC, on 05/17/2009, -22/+100Google, this is a MICROSOFT product, not yours!
You've no right to force your product onto another companies product. Rather, talk to OEMs about it. That way everyone's happy. - inactive, on 05/17/2009, -5/+55The thing that bothers me about them being sued over IE is, don't ALL major OS's come packaged with a browser? If they didn't how would you get online to download your preferred browser? I know there are workarounds, but 99% don't know how to do it without googling it.
- gcnaddict, on 05/17/2009, -34/+72Has it occurred to anyone that the EU is just using Microsoft as a free money machine?
It's getting very annoying, to be honest. - FapCommander, on 05/17/2009, -10/+48Oh the hypocrisy
- gatordw, on 05/17/2009, -2/+36I think they were fined for giving incentives for PC makers to NOT use their competitors products...
Note this is a different thing for giving incentives to use more of your products. - Ragzouken, on 05/17/2009, -1/+29Companies were being discreetly being given discounts to impede the releasing of AMD related products and to stock minimal AMD related products. It's shady and illegal.
- Ragzouken, on 05/17/2009, -13/+40Has it occurred to you that the EU has the balls to call these companies out instead of sitting in their pockets?
- pleaseremove, on 05/17/2009, -6/+32Their article misses the point MS was trying to make. They are not worried about a browser monopoly, it is a search engine monopoly they are concerned about. Google is default in Opera, Safari, Firefox and Chrome. In this regard I am actually with MS, Google is good, but there is still a lot of room for change.
- localzuk, on 05/17/2009, -8/+30Do you actually follow these cases, and see *why* Microsoft have been picked on so often? The innocent don't get found guilty all the time.
They use their monopoly in order to kill off competition. - Cl1mh4224rd, on 05/17/2009, -2/+23> "Recently they fined Intel for what? Producing a product NO one else on the market can?"
Actually, no...
"The Commission found that between 2002 and 2007, Intel had paid manufacturers and a retailer to favour its chips over those of Advanced Micro Devices (AMD)."
http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/business/8047546.stm
Bribery, basically. - gatordw, on 05/17/2009, -1/+20That would be suicide. Yes it would hurt the EU for a while, but it's not like they would stop using computers, they'd just adapt and start using Linux or something else, and if you forced a large population of the world to use something like Linux, it would get better and more compatible very quickly creating a monster that would threaten Microsoft's marketshare across the world.
- localzuk, on 05/17/2009, -7/+24You missed the point. Microsoft were in a unique position, that no other OS was. ie. they had a monopoly. They then used that monopoly to kill off competitors, by bundling their browser.
That is the point. Bundles aren't themselves the problem, the use of a monopoly to force their way into another market is. - inactive, on 05/17/2009, -2/+19Right, because Microsoft could really handle the MASSIVE loss of market share overnight. By forcing everyone in the EU to use a competitor's products, Microsoft would instantly be more vulnerable because they wouldn't have a desktop monopoly. Their entire business model is based around not having to compete and it would destroy them.
- Amazetbm, on 05/17/2009, -1/+18Doubtful. A lot of EU government entities have been migrating to SUSE Linux and other distributions within their own government offices for a few years now. So they would probably be slower to back off because Microsoft has less of a direct impact on their operations.
- topstorynz, on 05/16/2009, -0/+16Nice idea, but there are thousands of search engines. And tens of browsers. And chat messengers. The advantage of Chrome being on, well Chromium at least I'd prefer, as it's the open source version, is that we can all change it and improve it, and it's open. But if you put just 3 on a PC, the others will cry foul as well. And if Chrome has to be on all PCs, why not on all Linux distros, and all new Apples? And if that's to happen, why stop there - all cellphones? All portable devices? Nintendo Wii has a browser, do we include that too? I'm not saying I have the answer, it's just that it's a very complicated problem, unfortunately.
- ultrafez, on 05/17/2009, -0/+15Sarcasm. DO YOU UNDERSTAND IT?
- Myztry, on 05/17/2009, -5/+18It would certainly make sense for the recovery CD...
- localzuk, on 05/17/2009, -7/+20Wow, does anyone on Digg actually follow why MS have had so much slack over their monopoly? The fact that they used it to kill off competitors? Netscape, for example.
The bundling of software, such as Windows Media Player and Internet Explorer gives Microsoft an unfair advantage due to their monopoly position.
Bundling Google Chrome is not utilising any existing monopoly. It is simply providing an alternative browser. Fine, it uses the Google Search engine, but it isn't doing what MS has done.
The US was shown to be weak when dealing with anti-competitive companies, via the MS case. The EU isn't backing down. This isn't the EU being bad, this is the US being weak. - Plonkely, on 05/17/2009, -7/+20What really annoys me is that the EU constantly attacks Microsoft in the name of the consumer, but every time they do, we're the ones who lose out.
The removal of the address bar from Windows XP in SP3 was the EU's doing; they got upset that Windows has a media player built in; they've got their knickers in a twist over the XML document format; and they've been bitching about IE for quite some time now. Bundling a browser does not harm consumer choice - every user is free to download any other browser which they choose. Microsoft has had to cut back on innovation for fear that the EU will run at them with their "in the name of the consumer" banners again.
I can't believe that they would even consider having Chrome bundled into Windows. It's not Google's nor the EU's product. This is as abusrd as doing something like making Ford put Mercedes gear-sticks in their cars. I really wish the EU would realise that no one cares what they have to say - they're completely inept with it comes to technology. Trading one 'monopoly' for another does not fix the problem - not that there is a problem in the first place. - mike23w, on 05/17/2009, -1/+14Yeah!
It's outrageous that a company other than Microsoft would try to bundle a web browser right into the to desktop to try and monopolize the Internet like they did with IE. - Nephersir7, on 05/17/2009, -1/+13The idea of having multiple browsers being bundled with an OS is just plain stupid, and it should not happen. But if it actually happens, what is stopping MS from making Live Search the default on Chrome/Firefox/Opera/Safari?
The real problem with IE was not that it was bundled with Windows. The real problem was that IE was embedded within Windows's core and it used ressources to be able to launch faster even if the user chose to use another browser. Furthermore, it was hurting the web and its standards. Even if it failed, Microsoft had clearly tried to control the web with its own proprietary "web standards" that did not work on other browsers.
Also, maybe the reason Google Search comes default with major browsers because they had to pick one (leaving it blank would be stupid) and.Google Search happens to be the most popular and efficient one. And as far as i know, all major browsers (even Chrome) ask you about what search engine you want to use after installation). If you download Firefox from Yahoo.com, it will come with Yahoo search as default. If your previous browser had Live Search, your new browser will import it as default. - 9bpm9, on 05/17/2009, -1/+11I think you need to catch up on what the EU has already done to Microsoft.
- inactive, on 05/17/2009, -0/+10If they didn't do that then there would be no Mozilla. That's like 90% of Mozilla's Revenue.
- Blashy, on 05/17/2009, -5/+15That is WAY oversimplification... it just does not work like that.
- irvin666, on 05/17/2009, -19/+28I'm siding with Microsoft with this one. Google is already getting big as it is. This is just Microsoft hatin'.
- Myztry, on 05/17/2009, -5/+14The solution is a package manager for the vendors applications, and the neutral open source applications.
Browsers simply are not designed for installing and maintaining applications, which is why the internet is a cesspool of malware. - Frostek, on 05/17/2009, -7/+16Boo hoo! Why are they always picking on MS - it's because we're American and that's the only reason!
Well, for your information just because you only hear about the high profile technology court cases,you greatly mistaken if you think this is some anti-American crusade.
For example...
European antitrust authorities fined Otis Elevator and ThyssenKrupp AG, the world's two largest elevator makers, and three competitors a record $1.3 billion for price-fixing.
http://www.nypost.com/seven/02222007/business/otis ...
EU sues U.K. government over treatment of Phorm
http://www.networkworld.com/news/2009/041409-eu-su ...
EU Sues France over France Telecom Subsidies
http://www.itu.int/ituweblogs/treg/EU+Sues+France+ ...
EU Sues Portugal For Biased Tax Policy
http://www.tax-news.com/asp/story/EU_Sues_Portugal ...
EU sues Sweden over broadcasting monopoly
http://www.eubusiness.com/Competition/061017101527 ...
EU sues nine of its own over pollution laws
http://www.neurope.eu/articles/88458.php - Me1000, on 05/17/2009, -4/+13Actually they do have a right to do that. Many software companies do that... That's why there is so much crapware on PCs when you buy them.
- RevLoki, on 05/17/2009, -0/+9Wait.. what?
- localzuk, on 05/17/2009, -3/+11A monopoly is not the issue. As I said. The use of that monopoly to force their way into the new markets *is* the problem.
10 years ago? The cases being discussed now are not regarding the behaviour from 10 years ago. They are about behaviour much more recently.
The EU is attempting to ensure that consumers and businesses in the EU are treated properly, and not being abused. That is the point.
I consider it weak that the USA found MS guilty, piled on the fines, discussed splitting them up and then backtracked on nearly all of it. Ending up with MS being given barely a slap on the wrist. - Kvasaari, on 05/17/2009, -2/+10Actually, IE is still the most popular web browser: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/File:Web_browser_usag ... .
But as said in other comments, that's not the point in this case. - MScrip, on 05/17/2009, -3/+11From the article:
"Microsoft's argument may seem comical, but there's a kernel of truth to it: If Google ends up with a majority share of browser users tied to Chrome, and Google's search engine is their most frequent and trusted destination, think of the opportunities for Google to leverage that huge group of people."
The main point of that statement is "IF Google ends up with a majority share of browser users tied to Chrome..."
IF
If a Chrome icon was on the desktop and there was no IE icon... maybe people would start to use Chrome. But normal consumers will just look for the big blue E and start browsing... like they've done for the past decade.
But here's the sad news for Microsoft... most people use Google as their search engine exclusively... even if they are still using IE. So, it wouldn't matter if they were using Chrome.
If Microsoft is worried about Google becoming the dominant search engine... it's too late. - Vitrael, on 05/17/2009, -3/+11Going right ahead and agreeing with you on this one.
Not only is the lawsuit stupid, but the idea of forcing a company to include a competitor's product in its bundle in the name of antitrust is outrageous. - Radan, on 05/17/2009, -6/+13The thing is, they shouldn't have to! I think Microsoft has all the rights in the world to decide what they want to include and not include in their OS package. Forcing them to do otherwise is like forcing them to include Open Office when you buy a copy of Microsoft Office.
Microsoft is not forcing anyone to use IE, in fact their browser market share is dwindling every day. I usually agree with much that EU does, and I hate IE more than anyone can imagine, but this is just outrageous and not the way to handle the situation. - KingFog, on 05/17/2009, -9/+16Microsoft's right in this case... If Chrome comes as standard on Windows then Google will have their search engine the default on a large number of major browsers, and also the default on Windows, OSX and a large number of Linux distros.
So, not only does it kill IE (which in the case of IE6 is not necessarily a bad thing), but it will also obliterate most, if not all of Live Search's userbase (users rarely ever change the defualt search engine in a browser)... Which seems juts a bit unfair, as why should that be penalised when only browsers are the issue here... - Orsenfelt, on 05/17/2009, -3/+10Not only that, Google pay a fortune for their default pages. I think Mozilla got 66Million last time?
- inactive, on 05/17/2009, -5/+12No,not all PC's.just Windows OS's.
I had no crapware with Linux. - tnoy, on 05/17/2009, -0/+7They're concerned about search.
If chrome and Android both used Live search per default, they wouldn't care. - senae, on 05/17/2009, -1/+8Why would microsoft do that? the only people who would benefit in any way from that would just spend 2 minutes downloading their browser of choice, and the common user would just be confused by the change.
- TheBigBentley, on 05/17/2009, -14/+20Digg me down but I'd rather use IE8 than Chrome.
- EnderMB, on 05/17/2009, -0/+6Either you've been living under a rock for the past five years (let's face it, most Digg users have) or you've noticed that the majority of the Internet isn't dial-up friendly any more. There's nothing wrong with letting users download a browser, perhaps during the time the Operating System is installing. In fact, I can't even begin to wonder what you were thinking when you commented.
- moothemagiccow, on 05/17/2009, -1/+7go look up the definition of monopoly and get back to me
- teemingvoid, on 05/17/2009, -1/+7and not even all Windows OS's ... mostly dell laptops (search assistant, i think not)
- Tenoq, on 05/18/2009, -1/+7Just brand-name PCs. Buy a white-box from your local PC dealer and it won't come with crapware. I know we install the bare-minimum to get expected functions working (Acrobat, Nero, etc).
- Junkyarddawg, on 05/17/2009, -7/+13My main concern is that Chrome is such a horribly buggy browser. What use is speed when it can't render websites and fails downloads all the time?
Firefox or Opera would've been a much better choice. THEN Microsoft would have had reason to worry. - Culyt, on 05/17/2009, -8/+14Has it occurred to you that the USA is using Microsoft as a free money machine?
Just about every computer in most countries sold basically give MS somewhere between $40-$500, and heaps of servers which have subscripting and user number fees, that is a lot of foreign money flowing into America on a continuous basis, and its only going to increase as the number of computers selling does and America keeps pushing for greater IP enforcement as we are seeing in China and Russia.
I recall MS got convicted of being an abusive monopoly, this was then overturned by presidential order (after a $30mill donation to the campaign), MS continuously use underhanded tactics in order to keep their software selling such as trying to take over the EU open source planning stuff, also trying to prevent EU from getting their own commercial software industry going and telling people that OpenXML was open and ODF was closed. FUD, Halloween documents and so on... This is just the ***** thats public.
These might be hundred-million dollar fees, but thats the whole of ***** Europe, its not really much. MS have also been perfectly happy to be late and get million dollar fees too. - localzuk, on 05/17/2009, -1/+7I dream of the day Microsoft do this. It will be heaven.
- inactive, on 05/17/2009, -5/+11ahhhh!!!! Everybody YOU know uses Fireefox! And your tiny, insignificnt group of people represents the general population!
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