The European Union has accused Microsoft of violating EU antitrust laws. Time to fight!
Let’s go to Bob and King for the tale of the tape.
In the blue corner, the challenger. Weighing in at 27 member states, an annual expenditure of €120.7 billion(2007), entering the arena to Beethoven’s “Ode to Joy”, the “Muscles from Brussels”, the European Union!
In the red corner, the champion. Weighing in at nearly 90,000 employees and an annual expenditure of $60.42 billion, entering the arena to AC/DC’s “Money Talks,” the “Gates of Hell,” Microsoft!
The ref is reminding both parties that this is going to be a nice clean lawsuit over whether Microsoft deliberately violates EU Antitrust rules by tying Windows operating system directly into Internet Explorer.
The EU has already said in a post-suit interview that Microsoft has eight weeks to respond to its finding, adding that it can defend its position in a hearing if it finds that useful.
That’s right, Bob, and lets not forget back in 2004, where the European Court of Justice found Microsoft had violated EU antitrust rules by trying to damage rivals for server and media player software.
You’re hitting the nail on the head there, King. The Court fined the company more than $600 million and ordered it to offer a version of Windows in Europe without the Media Player software and to share communications code with rivals. Microsoft appealed against that decision, but the judges upheld it.
Ouch, that’s painful, Bob! Now we just have to wait 8 weeks for the lawyers to square off. That wraps up tonight’s coverage, so from all of us here at ringside, good night, and God bless!
Source: USA Today
UPDATE: Hold on a moment King, before you go to the break we have some late news just in.
I’m just reading it now Bob, seems as though the EU are hoping to force Microsoft not to come to the ring just using Internet Explorer, but also to use Firefox, Chrome, Opera and Safari. Without it’s own browser, Microsoft are going to have to react to anything these browsers are able to do; like Firefox’s dazzling “Grease Monkey” move. Ooh, that’s gotta hurt!
And what happens if Microsoft just tell the EU to “stuff it”, King?
Well, here’s the kicker, it’d forfeit a significant amount of its prize money back to the EU for every fight it has in the European Union.
Wow, that’s a low blow King. We’ve got to wonder if the referee will allow that one. Especially as it’s got a new fighter, “7”, due out about the same time that the EU’s ruling will come in. Until next time; good fight, good night!
Source: PC Pro
