Microsoft suffers stunning EU antitrust defeat

[chunkymonster]

Hot off the Yahoo news. Link!

The court said Microsoft, the world's largest software
maker, was unjustified in tying new applications to its Windows
operating system in a way that harmed consumer choice.


The verdict, which may be appealed only on points of law
and not of fact, could force Microsoft to change its business
practices.


It also gives EU Competition Commission Neelie Kroes a
green light to pursue other antitrust cases and complaints
involving Microsoft, Intel (INTC.O), Qualcomm (QCOM.O) and
Rambus (RMBS.O), and to issue draft new antitrust guidelines
that were put on ice pending the ruling.

In my opinion and and light of the Vista "debacle" any efforts that M$ must take to offer a base-line operating system with minimal apps built into it is a step in the right direction.

The blurb about the M$ ruling opening the door for other antitrust cases and complaints will also help promote consumer choice but I just hope it isn't a "pandora's box". Metered government regulation can promote consumer choice and enforce ethical business practices but it can also stimy innovation. Time will tell.

 

[riser]

Innovation will lack; Microsoft is good at bringing ideas out from others - What Microsoft lacks, someone creates.

Unforunately, if you take away the profitability from Microsoft.. the appeal to create something better for less money goes away. I think this will hurt the business drive, open it up to others, more variety, less quality and more of a pain.