from this slashdot article

Quote :

"European Commissioner Neelie Kroes has presented Microsoft with an ultimatum: Before Thursday next week, Microsoft must hand over all secret information on Windows protocols to its competition. Should the company choose to ignore this demand, it will be severely fined. Microsoft's history with EU fines so far amounts to approximately Euro777.5 million."

http://slashdot.org/articles/06/11/15/1532212.shtml

now, i'm sure this has been debated before, but as it has been pointed out many many times, MICROSOFT IS NOT A MONOPOLY...why should they have to open up their coding to other companies? if you don't like windows, use free linux distros or pay for mac os

am i missing something?

11/15/2006 2:34:35 PM

no, you're not.

11/15/2006 2:38:39 PM

it's more about developers not being able fully utilize windows like microsoft can. or am i wrong about that? that was the impression that i got.

11/15/2006 2:50:12 PM

^ i can understand that...but then wouldn't the result be M$ shooting themselves in the foot? are they saying that windows' instability issues are because microsoft won't pass along their coding? but why is it the government's (any government's) business?

11/15/2006 2:53:29 PM

presumably MS apps will have a substantial advantage over third party software (like say for email clients, web browsing, etc) that would greatly benefit from being able to better integrate with the OS itself. i'm kinda talking out of my ass a little bit admittedly here. hopefully someone who knows more about it can comment with more detail (or correct me if i'm totally off base).

11/15/2006 3:10:04 PM

i love those windows/mac commercials

11/15/2006 3:12:36 PM

microsoft better not do this shit

11/15/2006 3:31:24 PM

Quote :

"microsoft better not do this shit"

The sun will collapse on itself before Microsoft complies with this.

11/15/2006 4:37:23 PM

Quote :

"but why is it the government's (any government's) business?"

its not

the EU is a bunch of faggots and Microsoft's competitors have used that to their advantage.


If microsoft is forced to open their architecture I want to see every other software maker held to the same standard. This would destroy small for-profit developers and result in security problems across the board.


There are 2 major types of competitors who want to see this happen to microsoft. 1 is appliance designers and other OS makers who want to be able to replace windows for things like domain controllers and samba shares. These are the guys who really have a case. Interop would provide competition for microsoft, but its not the governments place to force the issue. Instead of trying to get into microsoft's stuff they could create their own standards and come up with a competing project.

The second type is piggy backing on the first guys. These are faggots like real media and netscape. Makers of horrible fucking software who are pissed because microsoft can include better software with the os by default. These guys need to get fucked. Even symantec, who is mad because they cant do low level system hooks like they used to. Even though prohibiting this makes windows a more secure OS.

It would be like suing Apple because quicktime comes on macs by default. If the EU forces microsoft to sell copies of Windows without mediaplayer, apple should be forced to sell copies of OSX without quicktime. Its bullshit faggot crap lawsuits caused by competitors who would rather sue their way into money instead of bringing truely competitive products to the market.

Its funny as hell becuase these guys are all like HURR DURR DURR MICROSOFT SOFTWARE IS CRAP WHY R U NOT USE TEH LUNIX?? But then they're all like HEY WE WANT TO USE MICROSOFT'S STANDARDS BECAUSE THEY ARE SO COOL AND WE ARE TOO DUMB TO MAKE SOMETHING SIMILAR!

Linux sucks huge ammounts of cock. If someone wants to make it compete with windows they need to close the source or create standards for the OS. Its a hodge podge of crap from 10000 different locations with 10000 different visions of what the OS should be. They wont compete with windows until they become windows.

Forcing microsoft to release their IP is a sign of lazyness.

11/15/2006 5:02:00 PM

My gf's PowerBook came with Windows Media Player installed on it

11/15/2006 5:23:49 PM

i agree that microsoft should not have to, and definitely shouldn't, do this...i am not a fanboy of any particular OS, but i do use both linux and windows...saying

Quote :

"Linux sucks huge ammounts of cock."

is subjective (obviously), but i think it's very advantageous to users to have the option of a free and fully-functional OS...additionally, open source software allows for a lot of customization and increases the chances of developing a more impressive bit of software...linux can't compete with windows yet, but if someone really focuses on improving a particular distro (or making their own...kind of like mac OS), then it COULD be pretty competitive

COULD.

11/15/2006 5:48:46 PM

like i said.

if they wanted to make a good distro they'd have to close off the source from community input. Its the freedom to edit and change the os that has resulted in its fragmentation. If the same ammount of work had been put into a single linux distro with a single development goal in mind it would be something on the level of windows.

People have been saying linux will catch up to windows for years now and they've made no progress. Even IBM failed to push linux into windows environments.

Linux works great on servers you can set and forget. For example the spam filters we have out in front of our email servers. I never have to manage those boxes. For shit i need to get into on a daily basis linux requires 5x the ammount of work on average for the same task in windows.

Im getting pretty tired of trying to shoehorn linux into places where its really shouldn't be. Its a waste of time in money when I could get a windows solution in place faster and cheaper.

11/15/2006 6:12:41 PM

ah, okay, you covered it...i misinterpreted one of your paragraphs

11/15/2006 6:20:27 PM

i agree that M$ shouldn't have to give away their secrets (and I'm a mac fan) I think this is just typical EU protectionism. I do think MS should try not to make stuff not work on their compeditors products though ie firefox not having the same resources within the system as IE but i can defiantly see where that could be a complicated matter. But don't be to hard on europe they need the money to fund all their holidays and welfare systems

11/15/2006 6:57:31 PM

Quote :

"firefox not having the same resources within the system as IE"

what do you mean by that?

11/15/2006 7:06:00 PM

I do think MS should try not to make stuff not work on their compeditors products


.....

11/16/2006 8:47:05 AM