Microsoft-Skype Deal Poised To Win EU Approval

Pigskin-Referee wrote in with a story about the EU's approval of Microsoft acquiring Skype. The article reads: "Microsoft's proposed $8.5 billion acquisition of Skype has earned the approval of the European Union, the Financial Times reported Thursday. The European Commissioner for Competition, Joaquin Almunia, is expected to rule that the acquisition won't harm competition or turn Skype into a Microsoft-exclusive platform. The decision ignores accusations that Microsoft is simply bundling services on Windows to drown out smaller competitors, as argued by Italian Skype rival Messagenet last week. Messagenet also urged the Commission to require Microsoft to unbundle Skype from its Windows Office Suite. The FT reports that Microsoft 'promised' the Commission it would keep Skype interoperable and supported on rival operating systems."

Re:Unbundle "Skype"

[AliasMarlowe]

And one must wonder about the level of Microsoft "support" for Skype on non-Windows platforms. What does that mean, exactly? It could be that new features/versions are released on Windows, and only appear on other platforms after lengthy delays - perhaps just before the next version appears on Windows. More pessimistically, it could mean that there would be few or no new versions or features on many platforms; just fixes for the most egregious bugs in their current version.

Re:I want my OS with as much stuff bundled in it

[cluelessTypeOfGuy]

And you can do it if you wanted. You can do the same thing in N. America. With a car, you have any choice you like. You can build it from scratch (and pay for it) or buy one ready to go.
With software, due to laws, that choice can be taken from you, and Microsoft and likes used that option extensively.