Microsoft’s Had Enough – Oh You say!!!!!
Of the EU apparently, for it has seemingly withdrawn participation in anti-trust hearings on their Internet Explorer program that is being accused of blocking or shielding itself from other browsers. The company is pointing the finger at the EU due to scheduling conflicts which has resulted in unavailability issues between he two parties. The EU’s anti-trust hearing concerns the fact that IE is embedded within the Windows Operating system, effectively blocking other web browsers from being installed properly upon initial install. The issues with Microsoft’s WGA program that unbeknownst to most came in two versions, one that asks for permission and one that is installed with SP3. The issue has been around for quite sometime and both parties are indeed getting tired of the issue.
The Redmond software giant has issued a response to the initial complaint yet the formal hearings have been shaky from the start due to the said scheduling conflicts with both parties pointing fingers at each other for blame. Fines have been rumored as a result of a complaint by Opera Software, a Norwegian company who has their own browser that the practice of Windows and IE being bundled, presents a very unfair practice leaving them out in the dust. Opera, has proposed that a kill-switch be integrated into the Windows operating system upon install that would prevent IE from being installed automatically along with the rest of the OS. In the latest part of the dramatics, Microsoft was unable to send it’s people to participate on the hearing that have been scheduled, an act the EU is considering to be a sign of non-compliance to the conditions set by the governing body with Microsoft not willing to participate. We’d have to wait for the outcome of these proceedings in the coming weeks/months.
