On Oct 22, 9:25 pm, [EMAIL PROTECTED] wrote: > Microsoft drops appeal of European antitrust case > template_bas > template_bas > The software giant, which faces a $1 billion fine, will make some of > its Windows operating system code available so developers can better > design products for it. > By Jim Puzzanghera, Los Angeles Times Staff Writer > 11:43 AM PDT, October 22, 2007 > WASHINGTON -- Microsoft Corp. will drop its appeal of a long-running > and costly European antitrust case and make some of its highly guarded > software code available at low prices so developers can better design > products that work with the Windows operating system, European > officials said today. > > The decision came after Europe's second-highest court last month > rejected Microsoft's appeal of a 2004 antitrust decision that had led > to a record $703-million fine for abuse of its dominance in computer > operating systems. On top of that fine, the European Commission in > 2005 started levying a daily noncompliance fine against Microsoft that > has brought the total to more than $1 billion. > > Running out of legal options, Microsoft agreed to abide by the 2004 > decision, ending a case that began in 1998, said Neelie Kroes, > European Commissioner for Competition Policy. > > "Now that Microsoft has agreed to comply with the 2004 decision, the > company can no longer use the market power it derived from its 95% > share of the PC operating system market and 80% profit margin to harm > consumers by killing competition on any market it wishes," she said in > a written statement. > > Kroes said she had been in "almost daily contact" with Microsoft Chief > Executive Steve Ballmer over the last two or three weeks in an attempt > to resolve the case. > > Microsoft agreed to drop its appeal and provide information to > software developers to allow their products to work with Windows. > Microsoft had agreed to provide the information before but at costs > that European officials said were "wholly unreasonable," Kroes said. > > Microsoft said in a statement that it would "continue to work closely > with the commission and the industry to ensure a flourishing and > competitive environment for information technology in Europe and > around the world." > > The Redmond, Wash., company will lower its fee for a worldwide license > to use its software code, from 5.95% of the requesting company's > revenue to just 0.4%. Microsoft also dropped its demand for a royalty > of 2.98% of the money made from software developed using Microsoft's > protocols. Now, companies will have to pay only a one-time fee of > 10,000 euros, or about $14,161. > > Microsoft also will make its code available to open-source developers, > such as those that design applications for the Linux operating system, > under terms that allow other users of the software to copy and modify > it. > > "Microsoft's obligation to document its protocols is an ongoing one -- > the documentation needs to be maintained as products evolve and new > issues may arise once it is being used by developers," Kroes said. > "But as of today, the major issues concerning compliance have been > resolved." > > Microsoft officials declined to comment. > > [EMAIL PROTECTED]
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