Microsoft fined $613million by EU Court

[gertsy]

Well guys it's happened again. $700m this time.  That should keep the EU lawyers and judges on the gravy train until the next OS release. Where does the fine go? Greece? LOL what a basket case is the EU.
I see that Google OS gives the option of installing IE. Not!.
MS would win in a court of law in the US if they took the EU to court but the resulting cost of sales and reputation would be of bigger impact. The EU knows this.
LOL you can't even run an alternate browser on a Windows RT device because none of the browser makers have a version.
The fact that MS apologise, feign mistake, and play along with the insanity reminds me of something out of a Shakespearian play.

One word "Corruption."

[gertsy]

Coz Apple is cool.  Free black skivvy with each MacBook.
To be sure I wasn't looking to start an Apple bagging session.  The point is that both Apple and Google have shrink wrapped machines with OSes that don't give you a choice of browser.
IMO that means one thing. Corruption.

PS: Apple can sell millions of iPads with US 4G that doesn't even work on UK or Australian 4g networks and they get a slap on the Wrist. The answer: "you can still use Wi-Fi". But you cant use 4g.  You can still install, Chrome or Firefox on Win 8(Intel) and they work.

[gertsy]

Does it really matter? Install Windows, download favorite browser, set browser to default :p

That's way too complicated...Microsoft should include all popular browsers in their Windows updates. This is anti-competitive behaviour.

[gertsy]

The core browser technology is embeded in windows, even in explorer. you may find a way to uninstall IE but its core web technology cannot be removed.

explorer itself has FTP, desktop connects to the internet for live site this core web tech is what IE also uses and all windows web technology uses.

If IE can be uninstalled it meant - great they allowed the decoupling from the core web technology.

The reason why Windows is bloated - because a 1000 different people want and need 1000 different things in an OS.

Multi user, parallel IEs, multiple versions IE, embedded IE, automated apps, automated install, automated silent install on 1000 systems, automated updates included, lite version installed, virtual OS, multiple VOS etc.

People are never happy they always want something different and you cannot please all.

Bill G quote 'it doesn't matter if their technology is better, if they dont know how to sell it'

Yeah, little bit of urban myth going down there that stems all the way back to Windows 98 when IE WAS integrated with the Desktop, not the OS, the desktop.
Since then maybe people have confused iexplorer.exe with explorer.exe. 2 different programs doing 2 different things.  The core browser technology is simply a 64 bit executable not some nefarious operating system imbedded mystery. Sure with shared DLLs but that makes perfect sense.

Not sure what you're saying about the FTP thing.  Again I think iexplorer is being confused with explorer.
 
As to bloatware yes agree 100% on that one.  But that's the reality of todays OSs. And yes agree it's a case of trying to be everything for everybody all of the time. If only it was 1000 people.
Windows 8 requires 11 GB to install, Mac Lion around 6GB, Redhat 5GB. Ubuntu 3GB. Workbench 1.3, well a 4Mb System Partition is heaps. So there's no contest there.

[gertsy]

Microsoft supporter=mentally disabled

Absolutely, they shut down drdos, Desqview, os2, beos and all other competition.

Whats worse than their lack of ethics is their apparently horrible products.

Its one thing if a company makes money because they make great products, but when they make money because they cram inferior products down the throats of consumers and businesses, while stifling competition from people that make far superior products? Thats just wrong, and should be illegal.

Mentally Disabled...
 Well I'm a Microsoft Supporter!  I've Worked (paid employment) in IT since 1984.  I've worked (Really worked) on; Burroughs, ICL, IBM(MVS), DEC (VMS), Wang, HP-UX 9.x and 10.x, Win NT 3.51, NT 4.1, Sun(Oracle) Solaris 7,8,9,10. Win 2000, Win 2003, Win 2008, RHEL 4,5,6.  My roles included Operations, Administration, Development, Systems Analysis, Unix Systems Administration, Technology Architecture, Solutions Architecture to a senior level over 6 Years.  Im HP & Sun Certified, Microsoft Certified, ITiL and TOGAF Certified and obviously Mentally Certified.
In my personal life I've owned and utilised to a level of proficiency and productivity ZX81, ZX Spectrum, C64/128, Amiga 500, 2000, 4000, SCO Unix, BSD, Fedora/RH, Ubuntu 5.1,9,10, Mac System 7,8 & 9, and finally Windows 3.11, 95, 98, 2000 Pro, XP, Vista, 7 and now 8.
Ive touched heaps of other technology but not to a diligent level.

Finally, in this context I'm proud to be accused of mental disability, and not just because of the ill you speak of something beyond your ability to comprehend.  If your idea of normal mental ability is a narrow minded, conspiracy theory subscribing, fatalist, dabbling in moronic high school grade peer pressure, then I'm certainly not that.

 "They shut down OS2.... They cram products down our throats...." Case in point.

End Rant.

@Reiknir, The EU has a contract with Microsoft? Or there is a special law in place just for Microsoft? Which one?  Does the same law apply to Google and Chrome devices?  Or to Apple?  This was the basis of my point BTW.

[gertsy]

Here's the EU press release: http://europa.eu/rapid/press-release_IP-13-196_en.htm
How's this line:
"Legally binding commitments reached in antitrust decisions play a very important role in our enforcement policy because they allow for rapid solutions to competition problems. Of course, such decisions require strict compliance. A failure to comply is a very serious infringement that must be sanctioned accordingly"
Rapid solutions to competition problems? And from the Spanish as well. LOL.

I feel sorry for EU guys.  If the government in Aust or US tried to STEAL people's money out of their bank accounts as in Cyprus they'd be gone in a month. The middle ages returned. Perhaps they're getting ready to fund a Crusade next.

[gertsy]

-Microsoft are so powerful they must be regulated
-..constant erosion of regulation since the 70s
-..They see their only solution as giving large depositors a haircut
-..underhand and clearly successful at pulling the wool over many people's eyes

Did you read back what you wrote?

And my separate point on the state of the EU was foolish?  I might go down to the local Seven Eleven and give their takings a "haircut" (as long as I check first that the owners are rich yeah.  That'll make it okay) I'll be up front and open about it..... Foolish.

[gertsy]

And the associated OS stickers inside the box.  You're right you know!

[gertsy]

I completely agree.  And come to think of it my Ipad should have had the choice to run android!!   I mean I can run chrome on it which doesn't have access to the JIT javascript core but that's ok because it's Apple right?

At least you can download the alternate IE app from the iStore.