Microsoft cuts ribbon on EU research center

Microsoft on Monday officially opened a research center in Aachen, Germany, a move that makes the company eligible to take part in projects funded by the European Commission and by individual European countries.

The European Microsoft Innovation Centre will conduct research into Web services, security and privacy technologies, and wireless technologies, according to the company. It will focus on three areas: enterprise computing, embedded devices and the extended home. Projects will be developed jointly with European academia and industry partners.

The EMIC, which was set up earlier this year, is already a partner in several projects cofunded by the European Commission. For these, the center is developing Web services for e-health and e-learning; security and privacy technologies; and networking technologies. These projects are a part of the Sixth Framework for Research and Technological Development, a 17.5 billion-euro set of programs with deadlines stretching up to 2006.

Microsoft said it currently invests 20 percent of its revenue in research and development--a figure expected to hit $6.8 billion this year--and already has linkages with many universities in Europe.

EMIC currently has 12 staff members, which will be increased to 20 in coming months, according to Microsoft.

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A Microsoft Public Relations Move for Relief from Antitrust Penalty.

"Microsoft said it currently invests 20 percent of its revenue in research and development--a figure expected to hit $6.8 billion this year--and already has linkages with many universities in Europe."

This claim is absolutely false. Microsoft investing 6.8 Billion Euros for 'this year' in the EU for research & development. Wow, that is a big lie!

So the lie goes this way.

1)Microsoft potentially in the future could be fined by the EU for 10% of its revenue (a fact) per year.

2)And now Microsoft claims it is spending 20% of its revenue in Research and Development in the EU per year.

Hey, paying 10% fine is twice as cheap as paying 20% in Research and Development per year!

Doing Research and Development in India and China cost 1/5th of the cost elsewhere. Why suddenly you hear this Microsoft propaganda for the EU?

This MS propaganda is for the EU to drop antitrust enforcement against Microsoft. If Microsoft succeeds in the Appeals Court to suspend the enforcement for many years, people will realize that it is just a maneuver (a PR campaign) to get leniency. Just watch! If Microsoft failed in the Appeals Court, the Research and Development talk is again all about just talking. Going either way, it will be all talks.

Microsoft, the Master of Deception!

Wow, $6.8 billion per year? That means in 5 years Microsoft's cash reserve will be completely drained factoring to include operations cost. And Microsoft goes out of business after that. Will Microsoft commit something that stupid???? No, because it is just PR propaganda for the EU to try to get leniency.

Wow, opening a research center cost 7 billion Euros per year! So my bicycle will cost 50 million Euros too!

LOL!