EU: Microsoft offers to include rival browsers to settle EC case
Software maker Microsoft is offering to include rival web browsers in its Windows operating system as a solution to the European Commission's antitrust case about the tying of its browser and operating system, the EC announced on 24 July.
European consumers would be shown a 'ballot screen' where they could choose which browser they want to use, the US company confirmed in a follow-up statement.
"This would mark a big step forward in addressing a decade of legal issues", Brad Smith, Microsoft general council said in the statement.
In previous antitrust cases, the EC fined the company 1.68 billion euro.
The EC said it welcomed the proposal. "(We) will now investigate its practical effectiveness in terms of ensuring genuine consumer choice."
Press agency Bloomberg on Friday quoted Matt Rosoff, an analyst at 'Directions on Microsoft' a US-based consultancy firm, saying the software maker has capitulated. "Microsoft was able to absorb fines and be more aggressive with their legal strategy when business was good, but when you're looking at ongoing fines in a downturn, it makes more sense to settle."
The software maker last week reported its fourth quarter earnings, saying that revenue had fallen 17 percent compared to the same period a year earlier.
The European Commission started its antitrust case following a complaint from the Norwegian browser maker Opera Software.
Thomas Vinje, the lawyer representing Opera, welcomed the development. "The settlement would have to be on the Commission's terms", he cautioned, according to Bloomberg. Hakon Wium Lie, Opera's CTO told Computerworld that the ballot screen should be offered to Windows users world wide.
A similar comment was made yesterday by the Free Software Foundation Europe (FSFE). "The company is upholding its dominance thanks to the network effects created by its illegal practice of bundling Internet Explorer with Windows operating systems in all markets where it sells its software", says FSFE president Karsten Gerloff. "In a globally interconnected market, remedies must be global."
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firefox - iceweasel - dillo
Imagine a world where micro$oft had invented the internet and patented it - then we would be paying for every second we use the internet - that kind of world does not bear thinking of - an even better world is when everyone uses free operating systems such as Linux.