Microsoft fined by European Commission over web browser

[whs]

Microsoft has been fined 561 million euros ($731m; £484m) for failing to promote a range of web browsers, rather than just Internet Explorer, to users in the European Union (EU).

Read more at:
BBC News - Microsoft fined by European Commission over web browser

 

[chev65]

What do they expect Msoft to do, advertise for Google Chrome or Firefox for free?

Utterly Ridiculous nonsense from the European control freaks.

 

[Thorsen]

again?

 

[Dwarf]

Here we go again.

We fought 2 World Wars in order to remove dictators such as Hitler and Mussolini, but the EU (Merkel, van Rompuy, et al) are no better. Surely there is something more important to do than to continually attack MS over this issue?

 

[whs]

This is no nonsense at all. M$ made a commitment to allow easy access to the other browsers and they did not implement it in over a year. They thought the EU would not follow-up on it. They were dead wrong. They should have been fined a much higher sum. That will teach them not to take the world for fools.

Now they implement it for the EU users only. The US authorities should go after them too. It is clearly an exploitation of their monopoly.

 

[whs]

Here we go again.

We fought 2 World Wars in order to remove dictators such as Hitler and Mussolini, but the EU (Merkel, van Rompuy, et al) are no better. Surely there is something more important to do than to continually attack MS over this issue?

You are being ridiculous. Ever heard something about consumer protection - which is non-existing in the US.

 

[z3r010]

This is no nonsense at all. M$ made a commitment to allow easy access to the other browsers and they did not implement it in over a year. They thought the EU would not follow-up on it. They were dead wrong. They should have been fined a much higher sum. That will teach them not to take the world for fools.

Now they implement it for the EU users only. The US authorities should go after them too. It is clearly an exploitation of their monopoly.

It is absolute nonsense, it shouldn't be any of the EU's business what Microsoft includes in their operating system.

It's an excuse to hand out a big fine to fund the gravy train, I expect Google to be next in line for an outrageous fine for just carrying out their business.

 

[whs]

If somebody make a commitment and does not stick to it, do you let them get away with it ??

 

[Dwarf]

As far as I am aware, MS have long allowed users to choose and install alternative browsers, either alongside IE or instead of IE. I, for one, refuse to be told by these dictators what I use to browse the web and therefore use the default of IE. If I was a MAC user (which I am not), I would take the same approach and use the default browser (which, if I am correct, is Safari).

 

[Dwarf]

It's an excuse to hand out a big fine to fund the gravy train, I expect Google to be next in line for an outrageous fine for just carrying out their business.

Haven't they already targeted Google?

 

[z3r010]

It's an excuse to hand out a big fine to fund the gravy train, I expect Google to be next in line for an outrageous fine for just carrying out their business.

Haven't they already targeted Google?

I dont think they have slapped them with a big fine in a good while.

 

[whs]

I, for one, refuse to be told by these dictators what I use to browse the web

Nobody tells you anything. They just want to make sure the other options are easily accessible. Not everybody is as smart as you are and can get it on his own.

 

[z3r010]

As Chrome dominates the browser market it just show that regulation and fines are not necessary because people already understand that they can install what ever browser they want.

 

[Thorsen]

If somebody make a commitment and does not stick to it, do you let them get away with it ??

I agree that making a commitment and then breaking that commitment is what this is about and it is fully justifiable to hold them to it.

I guess my problem with all this is that MS should not have been forced to promote competitor's software in their OS in the first place. When they did agree to it, they should have stuck with it, but it was and is unfair to make them do this in the first place (just my opinion). I can understand the prevention of monopolies, and fair business practices, and packaging the browser allows MS to have it more mainstream and a bigger customer base than the competitor, but it's a freaking free browser. It's not like MS was making it so people couldn't use any other browser with their OS or suppressing search results for firefox or something. Ten years ago, Nobody had to prompt me during install about firefox for me to hear about it, find it, install it and switch to it. Windows didn't prevent me from getting another browser. It's not like I could only use IE with windows...

I feel some things are needed for the PC that should come prepackaged. browser, media center, virus protection, word processing, image editing should all be available and MS does this (well except AV suite). I'm sure they left out AV simply because of this and you see what happens with that. you get PC's with trial software that expires and either leaves the user high and dry or makes them think they need to pay for an AV suite.

Purchasing a laptop that only has an OS and no actual programs that can do the daily tasks that you bought it for would be frustrating to the 100% of consumers who know little to nothing about computers. (this statistic is not based on fact it is purely made up)



Ok /rant

 

[HarryHusker]

Eh, just a drop in the bucket for these corp.'s

 

[whs]

In Windows 8 they fixed the AV problem with Defender (former MSE) being standard out of the box. I wonder what the Nortons, McAfees etc. have to say about that.

 

[Thorsen]

Eh, just a drop in the bucket for these corp.'s

Pretty much. 2012 total earnings: $74 billion Microsoft Reports Record Fourth-Quarter and Full-Year Revenue

Fine: $731 million

So only close to 1% of their business for one year...

 

[Dwarf]

It's not like MS was making it so people couldn't use any other browser with their OS or suppressing search results for firefox or something. Ten years ago, Nobody had to prompt me during install about firefox for me to hear about it, find it, install it and switch to it. Windows didn't prevent me from getting another browser. It's not like I could only use IE with windows...

Well said.

If Opera, Chrome, Firefox, et al want more publicity and a bigger share of the market, why don't they make adverts showcasing their capabilities? As far as I am aware, I've only ever seen ones for IE.

 

[HammerHead]

Ahh, I See

It's not like MS was making it so people couldn't use any other browser with their OS or suppressing search results for firefox or something. Ten years ago, Nobody had to prompt me during install about firefox for me to hear about it, find it, install it and switch to it. Windows didn't prevent me from getting another browser. It's not like I could only use IE with windows...

Well said.

If Opera, Chrome, Firefox, et al want more publicity and a bigger share of the market, why don't they make adverts showcasing their capabilities? As far as I am aware, I've only ever seen ones for IE.

Have they made it easily removable? If so I am not aware of it. It smacks of the practice that to get this program (one which you paid dearly for) you must install this also. What??? You don't want it? How stupid can you be to have an opinion of your own!!!!!

 

[Erick Aguilar]

It's not like MS was making it so people couldn't use any other browser with their OS or suppressing search results for firefox or something. Ten years ago, Nobody had to prompt me during install about firefox for me to hear about it, find it, install it and switch to it. Windows didn't prevent me from getting another browser. It's not like I could only use IE with windows...

Well said.

If Opera, Chrome, Firefox, et al want more publicity and a bigger share of the market, why don't they make adverts showcasing their capabilities? As far as I am aware, I've only ever seen ones for IE.

Have they made it easily removable? If so I am not aware of it. It smacks of the practice that to get this program (one which you paid dearly for) you must install this also. What??? You don't want it? How stupid can you be to have an opinion of your own!!!!!

I'm having a hard time understanding what you are trying to say.
Care to rephrase please?