RSSMicrosoft Loses Appeal in South Korea
By Nate Mook | Published May 23, 2006, 11:48 AM
The South Korea Fair Trade Commission this week turned down Microsoft's appeal of an antitrust ruling handed down in the country in February, which ordered Microsoft to unbundle both its messaging and media player software from the Windows operating system.
Microsoft was also fined $33 million, but was given 30 days to appeal the ruling, which it did in late March.
The case came out of two separate complaints filed by competitors Daum and RealNetworks in 2001. While both have separately settled their legal differences with Microsoft, South Korean officials said at the time its investigation would continue.
The Redmond company also appealed the case to the Seoul High Court, which has yet to issue a decision. If the Korean FTC order stands, Microsoft must offer two versions of Windows in South Korea by August 24, a requirement similar to one it had to follow in Europe.
In Korea, however, Microsoft must make two custom versions of Windows. One version must be completely stripped of Windows Media Player and Messenger, while the other includes links to download competing products.
Microsoft said in March that, "The facts do not support the KFTC's position. Consumers can easily download and use a wide range of software from many different companies. In fact, market data from Korean Click show that Korean consumers use multiple media players and instant messenger clients."
Microsoft officials have yet to comment on the rejection of the appeal.
Even if your not the biggest fan of M$, and I'm not, you got to agree that it's ****ed up. Not only are they not allowed bundle their own software in their OS. But they have to put links to their competitors. That's like owning a restaurant and not allowed to serve appetizers. And then if that's not enough you need to tell your costumers to go to the restaurant next door if they want a appetizer. If that's supposed to be fair, I think that Apple should not be allowed to bundle itunes since they're promoting and making money of a music store that has nothing to do with computers.
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|Microsoft created an OS that allows software from other manufacturers to run on it and they cannot bundle there own software with it? As was pointed out in another thread, allowing that compatibility opens them up to all sorts of a** aches that they get chastized for, and now they are required to post links to competing products... nice.
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|Try removing IE, Media Player and Windows Messenger from XP and you'll see where the problem lies. It should be simple, but it requires a significant amount of expertise to achieve what should be a simple task. Microsoft's behaviour in that regard is anti-competitive: it makes it difficult for someone to easily swap to a different default program.
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|well Windows messanger uninstalls without any problems. As for the rest... losing functionality to prove something hardly seems worth it when you can install a 3rd party product without any hastle whatsoever and make it your default in seconds.
Microsoft has the right to bundle whatever they want in their own product just like Apple or all the hundreds of linux variants. These courts are just taking shots to make trouble IMO.
If you buy a brand name pc you get allot of junk that you would never want, should we apply this to them to?
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|Microsoft said: "Consumers can easily download and use a wide range of software from many different companies"
And now in Korea their middleware applications will be no different.
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|Dynasties can fall at the blink of an eye.
It's been proven time and time again throughout history that no matter how powerful, strong, numerous, or smart you are, you can be defeated by the unexpected.
Things change gradually over time, but it's usually the events of instance that determine the results.
This is the stock market at it's finest.
Yes, I trust in God enough to know to rely on Him, because He created everything!
Take stock in God, He's always a good reference!
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|What?
The?
Hell?
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|umm..his name says it all. Its a feeble attempt to make sense by including religion, while he makes a valiant effort to save us, this is NOT the forum for that... of course you know that.
Still, he leaves a lot out of his text, and its not clear what he is trying to point out.
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|Dude they lost an appeal in a country that thrives on piracy. They will be fine.
They aren't a "dynasty" that distinction is reserved for Chinese Family Powers, not for companies.
And saying that they rise and fall, is like saying the ocean has waves that ebb and flow.. So what? What is your point?
Are you saying that this is the beginning of the end for MS? I think someone needs a little more vitamins in their diet, if that is the case.
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|...It is unfortunate that lawmakers do not understand anything about how Microsoft works (hmmm...I made a funny :-)
"The case came out of two separate complaints filed by competitors Daum and RealNetworks in 2001."
RealNetworks needs to grow up. I still think Microsoft should sue them, along with Netscape, Apple, Sonic, Intervideo, AOL, Earthlink, Symantec, McAfee, and Trend-Micro, since they have agreements with every major PC manufacturer in the world to have their software come on all new PCs. Really--is there a leg to stand on in sueing them?
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|Would be fun to watch, for sure.
I also think we should sue all hardware manufacturers who write drivers only for Windows. Obviously, they're supporting the existance of a Monopoly, right?
*grin*
Yeah, that'd be fun to watch.
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|Is Korea a part of the European Community? ;-)
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|Hmm.. did you fail geography? European / Asia.. hmm.. I think you can answer this for yourself.
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|...
Sarasm is clearly lost on you, rijp? :P
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