EU warns Microsoft will stifle innovation

[LetsGoMurphys]

By AOIFE WHITE and MATT MOORE, AP Business Writers

<http://news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20060425/ap_on_bi_ge/eu_microsoft>
LUXEMBOURG - Microsoft ended a rival's reign as the leading PC media-player maker by bundling its own program with Windows — and could do the same to others if its appeal of a landmark antitrust ruling is granted, the
European Commission said Tuesday.

Microsoft brushed off the claims, saying that it continuously added functions to its operating systems to meet likely demand from consumers — part of the technology sector's natural evolution.

"This case is of vital importance for innovation," Per Hellstrom, a Commission lawyer told the 13 judges. "Microsoft cannot be allowed to decide who can innovate and who cannot."





I think they may have a point. The timing seems fishy however after recent negative reports on the strength of the EU and the Euro.

[sendero]

1. Microsoft...

.... has done nothing but stifle innovation since day one. People who believe a word Bill Gates says are about as savvy as those who believe a word Bush** says.

[Massacure]

3. Bill Gates turning $50,000 into 80 billion isn't innovative?

Revolutionizing the world with computers isn't innovative? Microsoft was very innovative in the last 15 years. Whether they remain innovative in the near future is questionable, but we cannot say they were not in the past.

[Kellanved]

4. Microsoft was innovative

But not regarding software or computers; their marketing is the groundbreaking quality.

Other than that, there are extremely few things MS was first with. First to sell them and sometimes first to combine them; very seldomly first to make them.

[sendero]

5. Name one single major..

... PC computing innovation invented by Microsoft.

The GUI (graphical user interface), no

Networking, no

The internet browser, no

Multiuser OS, no

Compression, encryption, no

Microsoft is a marketing company and that is all. If they hadn't run off all competitors by the mid 90s, we'd have a good PC OS by now instead of a buggy, insecure easily hacked POS we have now. Thei business practices have never been ethical, ever. Gates is a nerd-ass con man.

Seriously, if you think Microsoft is a force for good in PC computing, you either don't know much or you work for them :)

[Massacure]

6. Define invention.

Was the car an invention, or was it just an engine, wheels, and breaks tacked together? Is Windows an invention or is it just a GUI, Internet Browser, and Multiuser OS tacked together?

If you seriously don't like Microsoft, your always free to use a Mac OS. And there is no way to prove we would have a "good" PC OS now without Microsoft. How do you even define good?

[Solon]

8. My problem with Microsoft is more or less because...

of its bad development and business practices. Not to mention the lobbying. To be honest, Microsoft isn't that innovative, but that isn't necessarily a bad thing. All operating systems borrowed from previous ones, the GUI was developed by Xerox, for crying out loud. Borrowed for the MacOS, then Microsoft borrowed some of those practices for Windows. This isn't really something you could really critisize anyone over.

Now, on OTHER issues, you can definately critisize Microsoft over, one is OS security, now, Microsoft marketed Windows XP as the NEW multi-user secure operating system. Problem is, they were half assed in the implementation. Now, you could, theoritically, make Windows XP as secure as any *nix system, however, the usability goes WAY down from there. For example, while Windows XP does have a "limited" non-admin account available, it is not activated by default, and in fact, since they did not set up the security model correctly, its nearly impossible to install applications in a USER space, or even run many of them. I mean, seriously, who the hell needs to run games under an admin account?

Now their business practices are deplorable, and DO stifle innovation in many cases, one are software patents, which make no sense when programs are ALREADY protected under copyright, but I digress. Other issues include the upcoming "Simultanious release with Duke Nukem Forever" Windows Vista. They guaranteed all these improvements and additional features, WinFS, IE7, etc. Many were cut out of the initial release, and/or are being backported for Windows XP, so now, basically, Windows Vista is going to be XP with 3 times the system requirements, big whoop. Not to mention the DRM, did I mention that crap?

With their restrictive licensing policies and Monopolistic practices, they have been abusing their monopoly power for far too long. Unfortunately they haven't really been smacked down for it until the EU smacked them down, and even that is somewhat limited. This includes the paranoia that they have, I swear, Windows Activation is more an annoyance than a security feature, and not even a security feature that helps customers, just Microsoft.

[Kellanved]

2. why is the timing fishy?

The antitrust case is an ongoing battle which has been underway for over a year now. Ballmer is on an EU lobby tour right (demanding things like Software Patents) now; a connection to his presence is more likely to cause headlines about the case than a few isolated and premature stories about the Euro's upcoming demise.

There are conflicting statements about the Euro anyway; the usual consensus is that the Dollar will stay number one as currency, but will fall another 30 cents. No country can afford pulling out of the Euro, so a collapse of the Euro is unlikely.

[Occulus]

7. Microsoft needs its source code forced open.

It needs to be the IBM hardware of the software world: once a monopoly, but no longer in posession of the core technology.

Microsoft needs to be broken up ala Bell. Microsoft needs to be beholden to the public, as all corporations do.

In other words, the People needs to steal Microsoft. Yes, steal, as in, "we have passed a law, and we, the People now own Microsoft, and NOT Bill Gates."
And then take it from him and force it open, for the good of the People.

(In other words, we need to make an example of a major corporation that those corporation are not persons, such is not ensconced into law, and the People of the United States may appropriate, at will, any and all corporate property; put another way, this IS legalized theft, by, of, and FOR the People, against the corporations, and without any consideration thereof. As nonpersons, they deserve no rights- including the right to safety, security, or ownership of property.)