Microsoft submits antitrust proposal to EU

update Microsoft has filed its latest attempt to comply with Europe's antitrust ruling, getting its proposal in mere hours before the deadline set by authorities.

A European Commission representative told ZDNet UK on Wednesday that Microsoft met Tuesday's deadline for submissions but that European authorities need to examine Microsoft's proposal to see whether the company has complied fully with the conditions laid out in the original antitrust ruling.

		Special report Europe plays hardball with Microsoft Read our complete coverage of the EU's decision to fine Redmond.

"We were in contact with Microsoft until late in the evening yesterday and will now carefully analyze what's on the table to assess whether or not they have complied with the March 2004 decision," the representative said.

If the Commission finds that Microsoft has failed to comply, the software giant could face fines of up to $5 million daily.

The Commission representative was unwilling to provide details of Microsoft's final proposal and declined to say how long it would take to make a final decision. "It will take as long as it takes," she said.

Microsoft was also unwilling to comment on its final proposal but confirmed that it had completed its submission.

"We have submitted proposals to the Commission and now await their response," said a Microsoft representative.

The original antitrust ruling, issued on March 24, 2004, demanded that Microsoft disclose information to rival makers of server software to enable their products to be interoperable with the Windows operating system and that it offer a version of Windows without Media Player.

The Commission rejected Microsoft's proposed server interoperability license in March of this year.

Microsoft said in April that it had addressed the majority of the Commission's concerns in this area, but the Commission said a few weeks ago that there were still issues to be resolved regarding both the server interoperability remedy and the version of Windows without Media Player.

Ingrid Marson of ZDNet UK reported from London.

Robin Hood Tactics : Economic 9/11

With all the apparent activities within the open source movement the world over one should wonder - are there not alternatives within the GPL framework to satisfy the EU's yearning to be software independent from US companies and to establish its own software industry as if the "Boston Tea Party" was of no consequence. It will appear that some "ways" of doing things are hard to change for some folks from a certain part of the world (America is part and parcel of the Americas);-) What if Washington and Moscow or even Beijing were to determine that there were no international norms to be complied with just like Hitler and his generals did during the last century what will be the EU's response? Why is the EU after dumbed down "work-in-progress" Operating System and Application Codes from a US based company headed by a geek whose own country's programmers finished 17th in an international computer programming contest that was held not so long ago! Why can't the EU just simply develop their own OSes and Applications. Americas Wake Up!

;-)

Robin Hood Tactics : Economic 9/11

With all the apparent activities within the open source movement the world over one should wonder - are there not alternatives within the GPL framework to satisfy the EU's yearning to be software independent from US companies and to establish its own software industry as if the "Boston Tea Party" was of no consequence. It will appear that some "ways" of doing things are hard to change for some folks from a certain part of the world (America is part and parcel of the Americas);-) What if Washington and Moscow or even Beijing were to determine that there were no international norms to be complied with just like Hitler and his generals did during the last century what will be the EU's response? Why is the EU after dumbed down "work-in-progress" Operating System and Application Codes from a US based company headed by a geek whose own country's programmers finished 17th in an international computer programming contest that was held not so long ago! Why can't the EU just simply develop their own OSes and Applications. Americas Wake Up!

;-)

[lgmbackman]

The EU vs MS is a very good read at:

<a class="jive-link-external" href="http://www.worldlii.org/eu/cases/ECComm/2004/1.html" target="_newWindow">http://www.worldlii.org/eu/cases/ECComm/2004/1.html</a>

So read it and you will understand a bit more.

[lgmbackman]

The EU vs MS is a very good read at:

<a class="jive-link-external" href="http://www.worldlii.org/eu/cases/ECComm/2004/1.html" target="_newWindow">http://www.worldlii.org/eu/cases/ECComm/2004/1.html</a>

So read it and you will understand a bit more.

Software "Patents" for Methods of Doing Business!

One may also find the below attached good reading in order to arrive at a datum and also a general understanding.

Software Patents for Methods of Doing BusinessA Second Class Citizen No More:

<a class="jive-link-external" href="http://www.tms.org/pubs/journals/JOM/matters/matters-0012.html" target="_newWindow">http://www.tms.org/pubs/journals/JOM/matters/matters-0012.html</a>

Patent and Copyright Law:

<a class="jive-link-external" href="http://www.patents.com/copyrigh.htm" target="_newWindow">http://www.patents.com/copyrigh.htm</a>

;-)

Software "Patents" for Methods of Doing Business!

One may also find the below attached good reading in order to arrive at a datum and also a general understanding.

Software Patents for Methods of Doing BusinessA Second Class Citizen No More:

<a class="jive-link-external" href="http://www.tms.org/pubs/journals/JOM/matters/matters-0012.html" target="_newWindow">http://www.tms.org/pubs/journals/JOM/matters/matters-0012.html</a>

Patent and Copyright Law:

<a class="jive-link-external" href="http://www.patents.com/copyrigh.htm" target="_newWindow">http://www.patents.com/copyrigh.htm</a>

;-)

[Catgic]

Issues remaining to be resolved? $5 Million of them!

Yes Ingrid, the ECComm still has issues remaining to be resolved. Five million of them, as in $,$$$,$$$. Cha-Ching B-) JP

[Catgic]

Issues remaining to be resolved? $5 Million of them!

Yes Ingrid, the ECComm still has issues remaining to be resolved. Five million of them, as in $,$$$,$$$. Cha-Ching B-) JP