Microsoft's Big European Defeat: What Now?

The pro-Microsoft lobby see the ruling as an attack on Microsoft because it is large and successful. This isn't right: the ruling is an attack on a specific Microsoft strategy of "blurring the distinction between operating system and application", a strategy which aims to leverage Microsoft's Windows dominance in order to promote other parts of its business.  Other than the fine and...

All global companies must have a truly global outlook and antennae attuned to the priorities, sensitivities, and political and socio-economic climates of all major market places if they are to minimize the risk of seriously adverse actions against them in any of these markets. The verdict delivered against Microsoft in Europe is an intriguing example of the impact of arguments in Europe that...

The biggest impact of the ruling will be to force Microsoft to significantly raise its legal expenses and settlements budget for the years to come. It is unlikely however that it will seriously affect its current position and future growth prospects in the office automation and operating system software market.  

Microsoft should not be surprisedMicrosoft got what they were asking for - you played hardball with the European standards community and discovered they are a front for their national governments.  You should not be surprised they lashed back.Microsoft needs to play nice and tough

Intuitively, perhaps naively, I regard intellectual property/capital as sacrosanct of the creator of the property. Here is a case where the owner of such intellectual capital/property has no rights and, in my view, this is wrong.

As has been exhibited in this case ruling....justice (in EU) has attempted to serve the common cause of ordinary people. Something like this might never happen in the US as government is deemed as another for profit enterprise which is acting in the best interest i.e, in the interest of the ever powerful corporate sector. They say that the market will correct the problem itself. This is a classic...

By restricting Microsoft's ability to bundle unrelated features (such as media players, server software) to Windows, the EU ruling will bolster competition & innovation in the software industry.   The judgement further asserts that companies may not unfairly prevent rival products from functioning properly with their offerings.   More generaly, the ruling confirms the EC legal...