If things went a different way, Microsoft would still be up to their eyeballs in lawyers. People would be suing because they didn't wrap a media player into their systems. Imagine having to pay extra for a media player? It's good to be the king even though you always have peasants nipping at you.

Sounds like a broken record....

In Oz it's called the 'Tall Poppy Syndrome'.....the public 'taking down' of anyone/thing which is successful....

I thought the EU was complaining about the server documentation at this point. I think the problem is they've been required to produce thousands of pages of technical documentation. It probably takes good peoplea and isn't easy or much fun - would those capable want to do this kind of job?

I'm European (Portugal), but I think the European Commission has just plain lost its marbles in this case. They are obviously being lobbyed by the guys behind the other media players, and they're making a fool of themselves for the whole world to see. Microsoft can not comply because that would open the doors to even more madness! What next? Litestep and Aston lobbying the EU for Windows to ship without Explorer?

MS should tell the EU to shove their fines and just stop shipping Windows products to Europe for a while

Now THAT is something I would like to see. The public uproar would be so great that the EU comission would soon be running back to Brussels with their tails between their legs, hehe.

Now THAT is something I would like to see. The public uproar would be so great that the EU comission would soon be running back to Brussels with their tails between their legs, hehe.

Precisely my point...the powers that be obviously don't care about what the public wants...not while they're pandering to the lobbying, whiny assed developers/manufacturers who can't make a true fist of it in an open/competitive market. So yeah, instead of just accepting what elected officials say is right, the public needs to get up the cahoneys to tell these self-serving, self righteous political scumbags what they really want, rather than what they're told they can have.

I'm by no means a MS fanboy, but in this case I'm siding with them. I mean, how on earth is bundling things like a media player, email client and a browser with an OS stifling competition? Consumers will use what they feel comfortable with, what suits their needs best....just because Windows comes with a WMP, Outlook Express and IE, it doesn't stop people installing alternatives such as Winamp, Firefox and Thunderbird...

If the software/products compare, match up, are good enough, consumers will use them....if not, then they don't deserve to be there, period! It should not be a matter for pencil pushing bureaucrats to decide, based on the pathetic lobbying of weaker, incompetitive developers who can't cut it.....the buying public has a mind of its own and must be allowed to exercise free choice.

so.. why arn't they making a fuss over apple including Itunes in its OS?

Me wonders if Microsoft could afford to cut off the european market. Imagine ( musingly ) if dispite the plummet in stock value, growth and expansion needs, and so on - if MS just said 'you know what? this isn't worth our time and money' and threatened to cut off sales in the EU. I wonder how the EU would take that. I wonder what kind of computers they use in Geneva. I would expect them to show a willingness to work with Microsoft.

What blows my mind is the simple fact that MS makes the os - they should be allowed to put whatever the hell they want in it. Don't want media player? well don't buy windows. Their own media player, their own browser, their own anti virus system. Its THEIR product!! PC manufacturers already stack OEM machines with additional choices ( and as we all know, it takes you 5 hours to uninstall all that crap if you do a system restore ). So what if the OS itself comes with media player? Don't know how to use Program Access controls? You shouldn't be installing your own operating system!! You probobly don't know the difference between Music Match and Media Player anyway! EU doesn't care about what's easiest for the customer.

End rant. My question for you all: Is the EU just using Microsoft as a scapegoat under the table of Beoing vs Airbus, and EU vs US Farm Subsidie arguements?

While we're at it, we need to put Ford engines in Chevy vehicles which are built upon Chrysler chassis. Print the owners manual in coded Chinese and only make it available via download from AOL once it has been Googled.
 
Essentially, mixing the pot up so much that the end product is much less stable than the original shaky ground upon which it was built.

I say MS should exercise thier right to revoke their EULA from the EU and turn around and sue them when they fail to remove Windows from their desktops. Of course, you would have to give them, lets say.. 2 weeks to find an alternative....

Me wonders if Microsoft could afford to cut off the european market.

Yeah, I think they could...it'd be less than a week before a public outcry forced the twits to reconsider. As for MS stocks suffering, I think they'd come back better and stronger for Microsoft standing up for its right to design and ship it Oses with ITS OWN software included.

Okay, there should be an option for users to not install additional software that's over and above the OS itself, but nonetheless that software SHOULD be included for those who do WANT to USE it. For example, I do not use Outlook as my default email client, but it's nice to know its there if ever I need to use it. Apple, on the other hand, does not afford users that luxury, well not to the same degree of latitude.

Microsoft, at least, allows for competitors software to be installed on its OSes, and to the best of my knowledge, restricts/prevents none, which is more than can be said for Apple/Mac. Furthermore, MS makes office and email software that can be installed on Mac systems, but Apple do not reciprocate and allow its software to be installed on Windows, apart from the Quicktime player.

So in looking at the bigger picture, how is MS in violation of anti-trust laws when the inclusion of its own media player, email client does not preclude/exclude those of its competitors? The laziness, naivety and education of users in the use of alternatives is not the responsibility of Microsoft, and the sooner these bureaucratic, pencil pushing twits realise this the better for consumers.

Why Microsoft anyway? Apple is one big anti-trust violation

Why? Because Microsoft is the taller of the two poppies...though if someone were successful in bringing MS down, they'd target Apple next, not for anything legitimate, but simply because they're there, open slather to the greedy, profit motivated, ambulance chasing lawyers who created this litigation first mentality.

Perhaps, if we disbarred (better still, executed) these 'warts on the arsehole of humanity' lawyers, the business world/world in general would be a much happier/better place....I'll bring the rope.

For anyone who has used the vista betas, they know this first hand:

The more options, text, dialog boxes, and so on you give people, the more you slow them down, frustrate them, and cause them to simply just click 'ok' whenever a box comes up. It's just not easier to force people to choose. Especially someone new to computers who doesnt know what music player or cd burner they will need to play their shawn mullin albums.

In terms of the easiest computing experience, if you bundle everything all up in one package and offer it to someone activated and configured and ready to go, then you have created a product that people will find easier to use and enjoy. Hello? OSX! ONE FREAKING MOUSE BUTTON!

Keep asking them

Do you want to turn on auto update?

Do you want to turn on your firewall?

Do you want to use passport?

Do you want to install media player?

Do you want to install insternet explorer?

Do you want to use OneLive Care?

Do you want me to turn on that anti phising filteR?

Would you like fries with that?

 

of course i want freakin fries with that JUST WORK ALREADY!!!!!!!

This is bad for computing. It's bad for microsoft.

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My question stands:

Is the EU just using Microsoft as a scapegoat under the table of Beoing vs Airbus, and EU vs US Farm Subsidie arguements?