Microsoft faces massive fine

Joe Public · 03-22-2004, 05:12 PM

http://news.com.com/2100-1014-5177278.html?tag=nl

"European Union states on Monday backed a proposal to fine Microsoft a record $613.5 million (497 million euros) for abusing its dominance of PC operating systems, an EU member state source said. "

Ouch.

But Windows has been giving me hell all day long today, so I think they deserve it!

**pointreyes** · 03-22-2004, 05:19 PM

Drop in the bucket. Gee, does that take them down to having only $12 billion in their cash account?

Now they have a good excuse for raising the cost on their software.

Joe Public · 03-22-2004, 05:36 PM

Yeah, suppose it's not that much in reality.

We (the consumers) will probably be punished for it too.

dinnadawg · 03-22-2004, 05:45 PM

thats one hell of a fine! oh well, like pointreyes said, a drop in the bucket for them.

traveler · 03-22-2004, 05:47 PM

Yeah.

There should be no fine.

Instead there should be a mandatory 50% reduction in the price of all their products. That way they suffer the reduction of cash and the consumer does not get hurt.

Protoplasm72 · 03-22-2004, 06:00 PM

Quote:

Originally posted by pointreyes
Drop in the bucket. Gee, does that take them down to having only $12 billion in their cash account? Now they have a good excuse for raising the cost on their software.

Actually they have $6 billion in cash, another $46 billion in short term investments (which is just as good as cash), and $85 billion in total assets as of December 31, 2003 :eek:

PCBruiser · 03-22-2004, 06:05 PM

Don't kid yourselves - it's all for show. At the end of the day they will pay some minimal amount, if anything, and the final settlement details will be well hidden from the public eye.

ChAsM · 03-22-2004, 07:37 PM

Quote:

Originally posted by PCBruiser
Don't kid yourselves - it's all for show. At the end of the day they will pay some minimal amount, if anything, and the final settlement details will be well hidden from the public eye.

By the time the appeal process is over, we'll have forgotten all about this and Longhorn will be into it's second revision.

Butcher · 03-22-2004, 08:33 PM

I would applaud the "fine" if the EU would use that money to fund anti-terror action in cooperation with the US.

b.

Sierra_abx · 03-23-2004, 01:22 AM

The most interesting thing is not the fine, but the reports that Microsoft may have to share code for its XP software with rival server vendors. European PC makers will also reportedly be allowed to buy XP without the media player bundled with the OS.

WASHINGTON (CBS.MW) - The European Union is expected to fine Microsoft a record $613 million for market abuses, but restrictions on the software giant's business in Europe may be costlier in the long run, according to analysts.

The EU also reportedly is ready to order Microsoft to share code for its Windows XP software with rival server vendors, and to let European PC makers to buy XP without Microsoft's audio-visual media player, which now is bundled with the operating system.

Given Microsoft's huge cash reserves, the fine isn't expected to affect the Redmond, Wash.-based company, Wall Street analysts have said.

"It's the restrictions they could impose, that's the issue," said senior equity analyst James Ragan of Crowell, Weedon & Co.

A $613 million fine would be the biggest imposed since Hoffman-La Roche AG was found to have illegally set vitamin prices in 2001.

Talks to settle the case broke down last week over Microsoft's future ability to bundle applications in its Windows platform. Microsoft Chief Executive Steve Ballmer met with EU competition authorities in Brussels last week.

traveler · 03-24-2004, 12:30 PM

Quote:

Originally posted by sierra_bound
The most interesting thing is not the fine, but the reports that Microsoft may have to share code for its XP software with rival server vendors. European PC makers will also reportedly be allowed to buy XP without the media player bundled with the OS.

http://cbs.marketwatch.com/news/stor...7D&siteid=mktw

Verrrrrry interesting!

Isn't it the media player that's supposed to be watching for "unauthorized" duplicating?

03-22-2004, 05:12 PM	#1
Joe Public Registered User Join Date: Oct 2002 Posts: 1,927	Microsoft faces massive fine http://news.com.com/2100-1014-5177278.html?tag=nl "European Union states on Monday backed a proposal to fine Microsoft a record $613.5 million (497 million euros) for abusing its dominance of PC operating systems, an EU member state source said. " Ouch. But Windows has been giving me hell all day long today, so I think they deserve it! __________________ Asus P5B-E - Core 2 Duo E6600 @ 3.2 GHz - 2x1024MB Geil PC6400 RAM - Asus GeForce GTX260 896MB- Samsung F1 1TB - Corsair HX620W PSU - 18x Samsung DVD/RW - SB Live - Winders XP SP2/Ubuntu 7.10
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03-22-2004, 05:19 PM	#2
pointreyes The race for quality has no finish line- so technically, it's more like a death march. Join Date: Feb 2001 Posts: 18,159	Drop in the bucket. Gee, does that take them down to having only $12 billion in their cash account? Now they have a good excuse for raising the cost on their software. __________________
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03-22-2004, 05:36 PM	#3
Joe Public Registered User Join Date: Oct 2002 Posts: 1,927	Yeah, suppose it's not that much in reality. We (the consumers) will probably be punished for it too. __________________ Asus P5B-E - Core 2 Duo E6600 @ 3.2 GHz - 2x1024MB Geil PC6400 RAM - Asus GeForce GTX260 896MB- Samsung F1 1TB - Corsair HX620W PSU - 18x Samsung DVD/RW - SB Live - Winders XP SP2/Ubuntu 7.10
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03-22-2004, 05:45 PM	#4
dinnadawg nine fingered hobbit Join Date: Jan 2003 Location: Phila, PA Posts: 974	thats one hell of a fine! oh well, like pointreyes said, a drop in the bucket for them.
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03-22-2004, 05:47 PM	#5
traveler Where to next? Join Date: May 2001 Location: South Florida Posts: 18,226	Yeah. There should be no fine. Instead there should be a mandatory 50% reduction in the price of all their products. That way they suffer the reduction of cash and the consumer does not get hurt.
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03-22-2004, 06:05 PM	#7
PCBruiser Registered User Join Date: Nov 2003 Posts: 13,497	Don't kid yourselves - it's all for show. At the end of the day they will pay some minimal amount, if anything, and the final settlement details will be well hidden from the public eye.
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03-22-2004, 08:33 PM	#9
Butcher chop, chop, yummy, yum Join Date: Feb 2001 Location: Columbia, Maryland Posts: 1,217	I would applaud the "fine" if the EU would use that money to fund anti-terror action in cooperation with the US. b. __________________ Building, maintaining, and fighting with computers are fun, but expensive, things to do.
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03-23-2004, 01:22 AM	#10
Sierra_abx Registered User Join Date: Sep 2003 Posts: 13,880	The most interesting thing is not the fine, but the reports that Microsoft may have to share code for its XP software with rival server vendors. European PC makers will also reportedly be allowed to buy XP without the media player bundled with the OS. WASHINGTON (CBS.MW) - The European Union is expected to fine Microsoft a record $613 million for market abuses, but restrictions on the software giant's business in Europe may be costlier in the long run, according to analysts. The EU also reportedly is ready to order Microsoft to share code for its Windows XP software with rival server vendors, and to let European PC makers to buy XP without Microsoft's audio-visual media player, which now is bundled with the operating system. Given Microsoft's huge cash reserves, the fine isn't expected to affect the Redmond, Wash.-based company, Wall Street analysts have said. "It's the restrictions they could impose, that's the issue," said senior equity analyst James Ragan of Crowell, Weedon & Co. A $613 million fine would be the biggest imposed since Hoffman-La Roche AG was found to have illegally set vitamin prices in 2001. Talks to settle the case broke down last week over Microsoft's future ability to bundle applications in its Windows platform. Microsoft Chief Executive Steve Ballmer met with EU competition authorities in Brussels last week. Last edited by sierra_bound : 03-24-2004 at 11:57 PM.
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