New Blow for Microsoft in EU Row

twitter writes "The BBC is reporting on a stinging rebuke to Microsoft and their last defensive move in the EU anti-trust trials. Boston district court judge Mark Wolf accused Microsoft of trying to 'circumvent and undermine' European Law by requesting Novell documents. The story reminds us that last month, a federal judge in California denied subpoenas of Oracle and Sun for the same reasons, that a New York judge is currently considering a request against IBM and that Microsoft will be appealing their March 2004 conviction next week and may face millions of dollars of fines a day. New complaints were made just two months ago."

Fines for Microsoft? Hah!

[Stiletto]

"I did lose a million dollars last year. I expect to lose a million dollars this year. I expect to lose a million dollars next year. You know, Mr. Thatcher, at the rate of a million dollars a year, I'll have to close this place in...sixty years."

Re:The EU justice system

[eclectro]

If you were on trial, would you want the assumption of innocence?

Yes, but in Microsoft's case you can make the assumption of guilty and be right.

Couldn't have happened to a nicer company

[surfdaddy]

You'd think by now that they would realize that thier image is going down. Instead of being protective, why don't they put that effort into innovation? I don't think it's in their DNA.

Microsoft is sort of like General Motors - they stick with their old program, and wonder why they keep getting bludgeoned on the head time after time.

Heard recently in the Microsoft boardroom:

Gates: "Why does this keep happening to us? I give away billions and Europe treats us so badly."

Ballmer: "I haven't thrown any chairs lately. I even went to charm school"

Gates: "I've been the chief software architect for years now. You'd think they would trust me".

Ballmer: "Bill, it's for you. The Vista team. They're not going to meet their Q1 2007 deadline...."

Gates: "Oh s*#%".

Let's hope Microsoft stays the course

[Flying pig]

I have a relative who does European legal work for a certain Redmond based company. On behalf of him and corporate lawyers elsewhere, I hope Microsoft never gives in in this case. Mortgages, pension funds, property development, private school fees, skiing holidays, yachts and private aircraft all depend on Redmond fighting this case to the last ditch and beyond. To all the naysayers who think that Microsoft should just cave in before a load of Europeans (led by someone called Nellie, btw) I say: Think of the poor lawyers! Think of their children!

Re:The secret of Microsoft

[TransEurope]

Wow, das ist ja echt super das (angeblich) alles
auf Windows läuft, weil es sich kein Dritthersteller
leisten kann Microsoft dank seines ergaunerten Monopols
nicht zu unterstütze, du Schlaumeier. Du bist wie
ein Junky der sich bei seinem Dealer dafür bedankt
ihn an die NAdel gebracht zu haben.

PS: Auf meinem Slackware Linux läuft auch ALLES
was ich brauche. Von meinen preferierten
Multimedia-Anwendungen bis hin zu Maya 7.

Re:Couldn't have happened to a nicer company

[Opportunist]

Unlike GM, though, MS is still turning a profit.

Maybe they're lucky the Japanese didn't decide to make an OS yet. It would probably be faster, smaller, more comfortable, cheaper and use less gas.

Re:The EU justice system

[fbjon]

They're cool, they can come to Europe. Pick up Greenland on your way too, that's a cool place as well.

Re:The EU justice system

[PGC]

Everyone hates the french ! ^_^ Damn frogs... "Most of them hate America out of jealousy and spite." I'm Dutch, I really dislike America (the american law and hypocricy that is ... nothing related to their middle eastern affairs) ...your really think that a Dutch person would have anything to be envious about , or jealous , when he thinks about the US?

Re:Fines for Microsoft? Hah!

[amliebsch]

No, they could go one forever. A million/day is $3.6B/year

You're using the "new math," aren't you?

New Blow for Microsoft...

[Anonymous Coward]

Man, those guys get everything!

Re:DAMMIT.

[drinkypoo]

I doubt many judges really care, in fact most of them are probably staring at Microsoft Windows while they're writing their opinion.

<Machine crashes in the middle of writing the opinion>

Judge: "Hang the bastards!"