Hidden Nook
"Because in Cyberspace, no one can hear you scream."
Tuesday, April 05, 2005
Microsoft Gives In To The E.U.
[Media Source*] Ironically Europe was able to accomplish something that the American courts could not.
Microsoft Corp. says it will meet most demands by European Union regulators on making software blueprints available to competitors, including lowering licensing fees, but is seeking further talks on some issues.
Microsoft said it delivered a letter to EU regulators on Monday detailing its intentions.
After fighting the European Union over the alleged Antitrust violations, Microsoft has agreed to adhere to most of Europe's demands, including opening it's source code for it's competitors. Looks like the "Microsoft Empire" could be showing some cracks in it's armor.
Here are some of the demands that Microsoft seems to be agreeing to:
1) Microsoft will customize licenses for developers who want to pick and choose from source code rather than buying a preset package.
2) The company will give competitors a price break on reviewing source code and more time to decide whether they want to license it charging 500 euros ($645) a day for up to eight days instead of allowing a maximum of two days at 3,850 euros ($4,965) for the first day or 5,390 euros ($6,950) for two days.
Although Microsoft could afford the fines levied against it, ($640 million) at least for a season, Microsoft does not want to appear stubborn (but I suspect they do not want to lose a future market in Europe). Their are probably other concessions listed but I'll have to wait until the E.U. fully discloses them publicly.
Ironic isn't that what they U.S. couldn't do the E.U. was able to do.
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By Darnell Clayton ⢠5:06 PM ⢠Email Post ⢠â¢
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