Mozilla

EC: Foray Into Remedies

February 10th, 2009

In my last post I listed a set of themes I’d like to address regarding the EC and Microsoft.  I expect to post in roughly the order listed.   But first I want to comment on the remedies issue briefly.

Most of the discussion of potential remedies focuses on either shipping Windows without a browser or on a “must-carry” requirement, which Microsoft described in its recent filing with the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission.   These may be the most obvious possible remedies, but they are not the only, or even necessarily the best possible remedies.

I think everyone agrees that a good remedy is difficult to craft.  There’s great disagreement over whether it is appropriate to try.  I’m going to describe in subsequent posts why I think it’s appropriate to offer Mozilla’s expertise to the EC rather than simply wait to see what happens.

It would also be good to have a wide-ranging discussion of possible remedies.  We’ll undoubtedly find that most possible remedies are flawed, some so deeply that they might be worse than doing nothing.  We may find some remedies that will improve the situation.  I’m inclined to think this is the case, although I too understand the complexity of the setting.   If that discussion hasn’t developed before I finish a couple of the posts I listed above, I’ll try to spark it with some suggestions.

Categories: Mozilla | Tags: ,

3 comments for “EC: Foray Into Remedies”

  1. 1

    Dan said on February 11th, 2009 at 8:42 am:

    There is something wrong with all of you who think Microsoft is doing something wrong by packaging their own software into their own OS. I don’t understand why a company that sells an operating system would have to be regulated as to what software they include in the operating system. It’s all their software!!! They created it!! Go create your own OS and package it with your browser. If Microsoft only created a web browser and was trying to keep it in the operating system then that is something to discuss but that’s not the case and you all look like fools. If people are not educated to what is out there then spend your time educating them!!! In all honesty what the EU is doing is just stifling competition by regulating who can compete and how to compete. I’m sure you disagree but here is a thought, the EU should be concerned with energy supplies, human rights and education. Not a company that is adding their own software to their OS.

  2. 2

    hello said on February 13th, 2009 at 4:45 am:

    Dan:

    http://blog.lizardwrangler.com/2009/02/12/ec-theme-the-paradox-of-being-a-monopoly/

    “Microsoft is treated differently because of the monopoly status of its Windows operating system. Having a monopoly position has enormous consequences, both business and legal.”

    “So to answer the question, yes there is a reason for singling Microsoft out: it alone has a monopoly on (Intel based) personal computer operating systems.”

  3. 3

    Karen said on March 2nd, 2009 at 2:25 pm:

    R U Kidding Us. Do you really think that Anyone Running A Windows System Would even Post A Real comment.

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