EC pressure on Microsoft grows
Kroes trains legislative guns on Redmond
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The European Competition Commissioner Neelie Kroes is considering ordering Microsoft to offer rival browsers with its own software bundle.
As we reported in January, Microsoft warned shareholders of the possibility of such an action, which could even see older machines updated. One suggestion is that Microsoft could use its irritating automatic update system to offer users the chance to download another browser, or even download a few and give people a choice.
Competition authorities typically take one of two routes to dealing with companies which are found guilty of anti-competitive action. One option is to order a structural remedy, such as forcing a company to split up or spin off part of its business. Alternatively, they can instruct a firm to make a behavioural remedy, to change the way it does business.
The trouble with behavioural orders is they usually require detailed oversight to ensure the firm is complying properly.
Neil Barrett was the monitoring trustee who oversaw Microsoft and the Commission's previous agreement on workgroup servers and the bundling of media players. His role ended in March.
Regulators can also fine the company concerned, of course - in Europe this is limited to ten per cent of turnover.
The European Commission investigation into Microsoft's browser behaviour began after a complaint from Opera, joined earlier this year by Mozilla. ®
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COMMENTS
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Aside from still comparing Apple(s) with Windows, there's still that 'need a browser to download a browser' tripe going on. People, get a clue please. Have you not read the responses in the previous articles?
@ Paul M
"- Apple do not have to remove iTunes/Safari/whatever BECAUSE THEY DO NOT HAVE A MONOPOLY"
Don't they have a monoploy on the Mac platform???
Maybe to get around it MS should manufacture an appliance like apple and then only allow Windows to be installed on it, problem solved.
Seriously though the solution to this problem is simple don't ship a browser and use the Windows update application which doesn't require I.E to deliver the browser. I can't see MS wanting to ship a load of browsers that they don't control on the CD or through Windows update and I don't blame them so I do see an issue there, but they will of stopped shipping IE with the OS the rest (getting another browser) is the users problem.
Listen, idiots
MICROSOFT HAVE A DESKTOP MONOPOLY. THAT IS WHY THEY ARE BEING TARGETED. THAT IS WHY THIS DOES NOT APPLY TO APPLE.
God almighty, how many more times??!!
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