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ms and the eu: naming a non-starter

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  16 September 2005

nigel j. ross
Affiliation:
teaches at the institute for interpreters and translators in milan, italy, email njross@tiscali.it, website http://web.tiscali.it/njross

Abstract

the eu recently forced microsoft to issue a second version of its windows xp operating system without a built-in windows media player, ruling that, by bundling its own media player, microsoft was effectively blocking competition from rivals (particularly real player and quicktime). microsoft's monopolistic approach in this case also landed it a fine of €497.2 million ($665m). the wrangling lasted well over a year, during which time windows xp with bundled media player had been sold so widely in europe as to partly invalidate the eu's attempts at stopping the us company monopolising and controlling the market. ‘the second version of windows will reflect what consumers want, and not what microsoft imposes on them,’ was the triumphant but belated comment of mario monti, the former eu commissioner in charge of competition.

Type
original article
Copyright
© 2005 cambridge university press

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