Microsoft fined by European Commission over web browser

[severedsolo]

You cannot uninstall the IE. It is an integral part of the system. The only way to get rid of it is to slipstream the installation disc. Now try this on Joe Public.

I think the reason is because you need the IE for certain system operations and MS did not implement the support using other browsers.

There is also the fact that many programs rely on IE as well, several programs "piggy back" on IE when they need web browser type functionality, rather than using your default browser. Off the top of my head, the one that springs to mind straight away is the Sims 3 Launcher, which uses IE functionality to give you the "news page" within the launcher.

Of course the reason for this is quite simple, different browsers work in different ways, and everyone has IE. I really don't see what the big deal is, if you don't use it, why would it ever bother you as long as it's kept up to date?

 

[Night Hawk]

You can see IE removed from Windows. It's not that difficult but may require a fast trip into the registry to nuke one entry before manually removing the program folder. I did that to revert back to IE8 from 9 as well as having done this on previous versions at times.

The key is either having another browser already installed or having a download for the IE setup or other browser to install once you remove IE in order to be able to get back online again. If you forget to do something like that first... oops! you will find yourself inbetween a rock and a hard place real fast! (now now no crying over spilled browsers!)

The hassles of course only start beginning once IE is totally removed since Windows Updates works by way of IE and not any other browser forcing you back to IE regardless of whether or not you want it on or not. A number of people over the years wanted to see IE gone while running FF or another browser while some thing like system functions as well as any 3rd wares rely heavily on it being present.

Now as far as MS is concerned they don't worry too much about what they consider "small fines" or the "cost of doing business" or as they likely think "maintaining their throne"! "We'll simply forget to add something into the EU releases unintentionally of course!""he he he har har!" as some MS geek snickers away in a corner somewhere. Obviously that type of marketing decision had a backlash of it's own.

 

[Layback Bear]

I do it simple. I keep I.E. installed, updated and default.
I use it seldom for browsing. When something needs to access the web like Windows Updates or anything else dealing with my operating system it is there ready to do it's job. Microsoft Windows likes Microsoft I.E.
I have no charts or graphs or testimonials to prove this.
Just my thoughts.

 

[Night Hawk]

I still keep IE on here without any problem since I run with WaterFox(64bit FireFox) as the default browser. When having multiple IE windows open with IE 8 or 9 I keep running into stalled windows and had to use the TM to get them closed since they wouldn't refresh at all.

I still have to try that with IE10 being the latest however. When trying it out on the 8 CP and then RP builds it still needed something having been in beta form there while seemingly better then IE 9.

With the WaterFox browser the "update fiailed" popup appears at times and it isn't for anything like Flash or Shock Player. I can only assume that would be a Mozilla update for the FF browser series that fails to automatically download and install on it's own. So I simply switched off the automatic option and set it for the notify to see what that will do next while watching.

One of the main advantages for using WF over IE of course is being a 64bit browser that runs more stable then trying it with multiple 64bit IE windows open and still seeing them freeze up solid at times. Even after a clean install last July the same continuing problem remained. The rollback to IE8 didn't work out either so 9 was left on while using WF.

On some sites like image sharing for example the one other problem is seen with the open source browsers but not IE for some reason on the other hand when it comes to uploading and even posting image files like snippings. The image will end up just seeing the url code in a post or be distorted and unviewable where IE is then the default for that! It's sort of a "Catch 22" since I can no longer use IE as the default browser while you still end up needing it anyways!

 

[Layback Bear]

I do wonder if the citizens of the E.U. that struck out on their own without Government assistance and chose the browsers they wanted to use are also going to be fined?

That is surly a Cash Cow that the E.U. Governing bodies should take under consideration.

 

[kado897]

Nothing would surprise me any more.

 

[Night Hawk]

They would first need to be caught using a browser other then IE befoe anyone could fine them. I doubt you will ever be seeing that however since you can slap any Windows compatble browser on at any time while still running IE.

 

[jimbo45]

I do wonder if the citizens of the E.U. that struck out on their own without Government assistance and chose the browsers they wanted to use are also going to be fined?

That is surly a Cash Cow that the E.U. Governing bodies should take under consideration.

What about the CYPRUS BANK problem where all savings are being subjected to a 10% tax - even if you have a very small amount in the Bank.

Instigated by Germany (well no surprise there - don't get me wrong I LIKE going to Germany and can well understand that taxpayers of that country are getting fed up with bailing out yet ANOTHER EU country again) but FINLAND too !!!. If Banks tried this stunt in the USA I'm sure the shotguns would be out on the streets in DROVES.

BBC News - Cyprus rescue breaks all the rules

Finland -- as another Nordic country who fought brilliantly (and defeated) the Russians what on Earth are you saying to ordinary citizens who just save their often small savings in Banks. Money Launderers, Drug dealers etc --well no prob, grab THE LOT -- but what about the ordinary citizen who at the moment barely has enough to pay monthly bills.

Anyway enough politics -- but is shows the EU doesn't even CARE for its citizens - and in our referendum you can guess how I'm going to vote -- NO or as General De Gaulle put it -- NON NON NON.
We are now a "Candidate country" for the next batch of admissions but there has to be a referendum first.



As I said if I were Ms I'd just tell them to Go and make a sexual move with a Duck --you can guess what rhymes with Duck. !! What would the EU do -- send the Bailiff's in and close all the offices --with the loss of how many jobs. !!


Cheers
jimbo

 

[lehnerus2000]

Give it away for free

As I said if I were Ms I'd just tell them to Go and make a sexual move with a Duck --you can guess what rhymes with Duck. !! What would the EU do -- send the Bailiff's in and close all the offices --with the loss of how many jobs. !!

I know how I'd retaliate to that move if I were the EU.

I clone millions of Windows OS and Office discs and give them away for free.

 

[whs]

The problem with Cyprus is very special. They bloated their bank system to attract billions of Russian mafia money. Then those banks invested that in Greece which we all know went broke. Now Cyprus is asking the German and other country's tax payers to bail them out so that they can secure money from the mafia. That is, of course, not acceptable.

The fact that the special tax was levied on all people was a choice by the Cyprus politician. This tax had to yield a certain amount and they did not want the big boys (speak mafia) to pay too much - guess why. It would be up to them to protect the small savings accounts by defining a limit under which the tax does not apply - but then they have to raise it for the big boys.

 

[jimbo45]

As I said if I were Ms I'd just tell them to Go and make a sexual move with a Duck --you can guess what rhymes with Duck. !! What would the EU do -- send the Bailiff's in and close all the offices --with the loss of how many jobs. !!

I know how I'd retaliate to that move if I were the EU.

I clone millions of Windows OS and Office discs and give them away for free.

Great idea but the EU would come a cropper when trying to UPLOAD the stuff as they seem to try and block these sorts of sites which probably are the most effective methods for for large scale quick distribution.

"Hosted by their own petard" I think comes to mind.

Anyway most of those guys working at the Commission wouldn't be able to organise a "Pi-- Up" in a Brewery or even a Prayer meeting in the Vatican. I'm often in Brussels and KNOW some of these people FIRST HAND.

I think this is still up and running -- not blocked in Iceland yet. Note I've just posted the IMAGE of their logo to show it's still up and running in the ORIGINAL format in spite of spending half its lifetime in Courts of one jurisdiction or another. --I'm NOT supplying any links for you --that's on your OWN HEADS.

I think the server is now even hosted in N.Korea so should be interesting to see what happens when the Hollywood honchos try and visit N.Korea to get the server shut down -- I don't think they'll get very far !!!!.

Cheers
jimbo

 

[lehnerus2000]

Honeypot

Great idea but the EU would come a cropper when trying to UPLOAD the stuff as they seem to try and block these sorts of sites which probably are the most effective methods for for large scale quick distribution.

"Hosted by their own petard" I think comes to mind.

I didn't think of using the torrent option (I meant actual discs).
They could use their own special server for the job.
However it would cost money to have extra servers and create cloned discs.

A cheaper option would be to announce that they won't prosecute people for having cloned versions of Windows and Office and that they won't extradite anyone to the US for it either.

Anyway most of those guys working at the Commission wouldn't be able to organise a "Pi-- Up" in a Brewery or even a Prayer meeting in the Vatican.

Politicians (in democratic countries) are universally incapable of this.

In Australia, a popular variation is, "they couldn't organise a root in a brothel".

It seems the only things they are any good at is, "screwing things up" and "rorting the system" (as individuals).

I think this is still up and running -- not blocked in Iceland yet. Note I've just posted the IMAGE of their logo to show it's still up and running in the ORIGINAL format in spite of spending half its lifetime in Courts of one jurisdiction or another. --I'm NOT supplying any links for you --that's on your OWN HEADS.

I think it's now a "honeypot" for the BSA, MPAA and RIAA.

Visit at your own risk.

 

[jimbo45]

Great idea but the EU would come a cropper when trying to UPLOAD the stuff as they seem to try and block these sorts of sites which probably are the most effective methods for for large scale quick distribution.

"Hosted by their own petard" I think comes to mind.

I didn't think of using the torrent option (I meant actual discs).
They could use their own special server for the job.
However it would cost money to have extra servers and create cloned discs.

A cheaper option would be to announce that they won't prosecute people for having cloned versions of Windows and Office and that they won't extradite anyone to the US for it either.

Anyway most of those guys working at the Commission wouldn't be able to organise a "Pi-- Up" in a Brewery or even a Prayer meeting in the Vatican.

Politicians (in democratic countries) are universally incapable of this.

In Australia, a popular variation is, "they couldn't organise a root in a brothel".

It seems the only things they are any good at is, "screwing things up" and "rorting the system" (as individuals).

I think this is still up and running -- not blocked in Iceland yet. Note I've just posted the IMAGE of their logo to show it's still up and running in the ORIGINAL format in spite of spending half its lifetime in Courts of one jurisdiction or another. --I'm NOT supplying any links for you --that's on your OWN HEADS.

I think it's now a "honeypot" for the BSA, MPAA and RIAA.

Visit at your own risk.

Hi there
At least here "Honeypot" or "Agent Provocateur" types of "catch" are 100% TOTALLY illegal -- they'd be laughed away from the court --they wouldn't get within 10 Km of the court if these tactics are being used.

I know the FBI and others often justify these types of tactics by saying "For the greater good" we can rid the neighbourhood of drug dealers etc etc.

However we tamper with democracy at our peril -- sometimes there are DOWNSIDES to operating in a free society -- so we really need to be VERY careful how to pursue these types of criminals. We are already signing away loads of rights in the name of "National Security" - without any idea of the nature of the problem -- and even the definition itself "National Security" can depend on the whims of politicians at will.

I think anybody who has ever passed through a large international airport recently must realize what I'm trying to get at here.

I don't use "The Bay" -- just saying that it's still operating.

Cheers
jimbo

 

[lehnerus2000]

General Warning

I don't use "The Bay" -- just saying that it's still operating.

My bad.
I didn't mean you in particular.

I meant it as a general warning to anyone reading these posts.

Given the dubious behaviour/ethics of the BSA, MPAA and RIAA, just visiting the site would be sufficient evidence of criminal intent (as far as they are concerned).

 

[jimbo45]

I don't use "The Bay" -- just saying that it's still operating.

My bad.
I didn't mean you in particular.

I meant it as a general warning to anyone reading these posts.

Given the dubious behaviour/ethics of the BSA, MPAA and RIAA, just visiting the site would be sufficient evidence of criminal intent (as far as they are concerned).

Hi there.
Thanks.

I was just saying that in some jurisdictions the MPAA in particular are regarded as worse than The Mafia. It's official BTW -- TPB is now hosted in N.Korea so the USA might get round the law as regarding anybody logging on to a N.Korean website as "Subversive" or a threat to "National Security" -- or they've got a new one now - specially direct out of the Lawyers Handbook -- "Aiding or giving Succour to a Rogue State(or Regime)". Well if you live in NY state you might regard TEXAS like that or alternatively if you are from Texas you might view California as similar too.

Where will all this stop if you take this stuff to its logical conclusion.

Cheers
jimbo

 

[whs]

"Aiding or giving Succour to a Rogue State(or Regime)". Well if you live in NY state you might regard TEXAS like that or alternatively if you are from Texas you might view California as similar too.

:roflmao:

 

[lehnerus2000]

Freedom Fries

I was just saying that in some jurisdictions the MPAA in particular are regarded as worse than The Mafia.

I can't disagree with that assessment.

It's official BTW -- TPB is now hosted in N.Korea so the USA might get round the law as regarding anybody logging on to a N.Korean website as "Subversive" or a threat to "National Security" -- or they've got a new one now - specially direct out of the Lawyers Handbook -- "Aiding or giving Succour to a Rogue State(or Regime)". Well if you live in NY state you might regard TEXAS like that or alternatively if you are from Texas you might view California as similar too.

Where will all this stop if you take this stuff to its logical conclusion.

"Freedom Fries" anyone?

 

[RitualJman]

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.

Why should Microsoft included a browser that's not even theirs nor are they getting paid to included software that doesn't belong to them?

RitualJman

 

[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.

Why should Microsoft included a browser that's not even theirs nor are they getting paid to included software that doesn't belong to them?

RitualJman

Because if you are a monopoly, you have certain obligations towards the other market participants.

But that was not the issue here. The problem was that they did not stick to their committments and the EU taught them a lesson in good citizenship.

 

[Layback Bear]

The problem with Cyprus is very special. They bloated their bank system to attract billions of Russian mafia money. Then those banks invested that in Greece which we all know went broke. Now Cyprus is asking the German and other country's tax payers to bail them out so that they can secure money from the mafia. That is, of course, not acceptable.

The fact that the special tax was levied on all people was a choice by the Cyprus politician. This tax had to yield a certain amount and they did not want the big boys (speak mafia) to pay too much - guess why. It would be up to them to protect the small savings accounts by defining a limit under which the tax does not apply - but then they have to raise it for the big boys.

Grand Pa always said when you sleep with dogs you will get fleas.
My understanding is the Russian mafia only has one retirement plan. Pay up or you get the flue today and die tomorrow.