EU to Microsoft: You Like Bundling? I’ll Show You Bundling…
by John Paczkowski
Posted on February 24, 2009 at 11:45 AM PT
“Talk is cheap,” EU Competition Commissioner Neelie Kroes once said. “Flouting the rules is expensive.” Truer words, especially for Microsoft, which may soon face some significant penalties abroad for bundling its Internet Explorer Web browser and Windows OS.
The European Commission said today that if its antitrust investigation into Microsoft (MSFT) concludes that the company has been abusing its market position, it may force it to bundle multiple browsers with Windows or slap it with significant fines based on sales of Windows in the EU. “The Commission would consider ordering Microsoft to give users an objective opportunity to choose which competing web browsers instead of, or in addition to, Internet Explorer they want to install in Windows,” said an EC spokesman. “Microsoft could also be ordered to technically allow the user to disable Internet Explorer code should the user choose to install a competing browser.”
Microsoft hasn’t yet officially responded to the charges or requested a hearing in which to plead its case. But it must do something soon because clearly, its “but PC users are already free to run any Web browser in Windows” argument isn’t working.
Comments
The EU is attempting to protect markets not users.
MSFT is an easy mark for the cash strapped commission.
Posted by jack deed at February 24th, 2009 at 12:11 pmKroes is making her name fining MSFT, her hate and her words clearly demonstrate that she should be shown the door. The EU is a breeding ground for pencil pushers wielding extreme powers with only the most basic understanding of the very markets upon which they are ruling.
I agree that the EU is hardly objective about this. Can you imagine if Microsoft was primarily located in Europe? Like Airbus their excesses would be encouraged.
On the other hand, the pencil pushers here in the US aren’t all that far behind those in Europe, and Microsoft has been a beneficiary of much government favoritism here.
Governments selecting the winners and losers can’t possibly lead to the best products in the long run. Microsoft is where it is today because at one point it became “good enough” to supplant all competing products within the federal government. It has stagnated ever since, and only if we are lucky will worldwide rejection of Microsoft products lead to the company vending better ones. Of course it would be better still if more competition were fostered here in the US, but I’ve given up hope on that.
Posted by Mac Beach at February 24th, 2009 at 2:09 pm