European Union Competition Laws
..., Microsoft has refused to supply ‘Interoperability Information’ and allow its use for the purpose of developing and distributing work group server Operating Systems products. Secondly, The Commission also found that Microsoft made availability of its Windows Client Operating System conditional acquisition of Windows Media Player. BBC News UK Edition – Microsoft facing competition fines http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/business/3523232.stm EU Business - Microsoft steps up legal offensive against EU anti-trust ruling 26 June 2004 http://www.eubusiness.com/afp/040626122423.g8njciuj According to this reference, the ruling of the EU to strip Media player from the Windows would impact Microsoft in making Windows an all-in-one application suite for the Home user. And as Association for Competitive Technology, president Johnathan Zuck reported, rival players such as RealPlayer and QuickTime, do have a market share and that it was growing without the need of the EU ruling. Internet News - Microsoft Partners Don’t See Much EU Impact 25 March 2004 http://www.internetnews.com/bus-news/article.php/3330971 This article that is published on the Internet, it illustrated that the partners of Microsoft will not have an impact with the EU rulings. Also according to the articles and the interview is has conducted, Steve Stolt, the director of product development for Gold Systems, said that “Microsoft already realised it wants to be more open. That’s what the market is demanding” and suggested that Speech Applications Language Tags (SALT) developed by Microsoft and Intel submitted as a W3C Standard, as an example of Microsoft opening their interfaces. It is fair to say that with this finding, the ruling against Microsoft would not have much of a social impact amongst program developers who use Microsoft Applications Programming Interfaces. The Copyright and New Media Law Newsletter – Lesley Ellen Harris, Volume three, Issue Three, Editorial http://copyrightlaws.com/newsreps/nrvo3is3.html According to the editor, using an example of the of the US Government’s Anti-Trust Case against Microsoft, will have an impact how society will purchase their software for the new millennium. It is stated in the article that, Microsoft Windows, is a widely accepted choice and has set the standards of an operating system, and if there was a competition in regards to Operating Systems, it would then have to be Windows compatible. Also described how market dominance allows Microsoft implement new software and tries to make it a new standard for everyone. The Bible - Leviticus Chapter 19 verse 14 The bible helps us set up the frameworks for society that functions well. “Before the blind, you are not to place a stumbling-block” to me, this is not just about the visually impaired. To me this can be interpreted as you are not to take advantage of someone who is in a disadvantage position. It is clear from the bible; those in position of strength over another must act differently and with restraint compared to those in equal position...