Unbundling Microsoft Windows

[newbie2]

Computers in the European Union should be sold without a bundled operating system, according to this submission to the European Commission. It says that the bundling of Microsoft Windows with computers is not in the public interest, and prevents meaningful competition in the operating system market.

The submission comes after the Commission won a ruling supporting its existing antitrust action against Microsoft in the European Court of First Instance. The Institute argues that cheaper competitors are unable to benefit from their lower cost because consumers have already been forced to buy Windows. Windows’ dominant position both has slowed technical improvements and prevented new alternatives entering from the marketplace.

Operating systems, it says, are not a natural monopoly, requiring just one supplier. Instead, in a competitive market, there would be a broad compatibility between different supplier’s products. “Competition would encourage open standards and interoperability as vendors would, for competitive reasons, want their products to interact with other vendors’ products,” the submission says.

Download report (PDF).
http://www.globalisation.eu/briefings/competition-policy/unbundling-microsoft-windows-200709231241/

[blithen]

Wow! Thank you for the post. Very good points.

[jan]

THIS IS THE RIGHT WAY TO GOOOOOOOOOOOO!!!

I love you, my EU, I love you!!! :guitar:

[jan]

Actually, almost no one commented this (http://ubuntuforums.org/showthread.php?p=3470009). Why?

[Dixon Bainbridge]

I'm surprised this issue has not been addressed earlier. Good for the EU, you can always rely on them to give MS the kick in the backside they deserve. All computers should come with no OS - computer manufacturers should have ordering options that allow the customer to choose linux, bsd, windows or no OS at all. When you think about it, its crazy that MS gets away with practically enforcing its OS on people.

[LaRoza]

Probably relief :D. Some post don't get responses if they are at certain times. Some posts seem to get too many responses sometimes also.

Good news, letting the buyer decide.

[Paul820]

I think it's because there was another thread about it on here. I remember reading it. Yep, here it is, there was a poll http://ubuntuforums.org/showthread.php?t=558841&highlight=unbundling

[popch]

I will react when it becomes true.

[vambo]

THIS IS THE RIGHT WAY TO GOOOOOOOOOOOO!!!

I love you, my EU, I love you!!! :guitar:
+ 1

[floke]

Vive la Europe!

[hessiess]

yay eu :)

[happysmileman]

I will react when it becomes true.

Same, I don't for a minute expect something that makes this much sense to become law

[x0as]

I can't see it ever happening.

[Midwest-Linux]

I'm sure MS will find ways around this...if it does come to pass. I think MS would ask for a waiver IF another OS was preinstalled along with Windows...that should solve the problem for Microsoft. And I see the system installed with Windows likely could be a linux derivative that Microsoft has a working interest in such as Linspire, Freespire, Xandros, Suse..etc

[terry_gardener]

does anyone know when this comes into affect. because the other day i went into pcworld and asked if you can get a pc with either no os or win xp or any other os.

They said no they are all preloaded with vista, except the half dozen macs they have.

when i speaking to the pcworld sales person he said "i dont like vista i would prefer to have win xp, the next pc i get will be a mac and i will get it from apple".

[n3tfury]

so why link to an existing thread? pull the comments into the original.

[Phil Airtime]

This isn't anything but the opinion of a "think tank". It has about as much chance of becoming law as I do of becoming Mark Shuttleworth.

[bapoumba]

Threads merged.

[Fbot1]

I for one am pissed. I mean when most people buy a pc they kinda want a GOD DAMN OPERATING SYSTEM. Besides it's way too late.

[Iceni]

I for one am pissed. I mean when most people buy a pc they kinda want a GOD DAMN OPERATING SYSTEM. Besides it's way too late.

I agree. Selling computers with operating systems is what made computers popular in the first place. Joe Regular don't know crap about computers and don't want to either. He wants to chat on msn and check facebook after writing a mail to his old girlfriend.

Besides, making people chose between something called "Ubuntu" or windows vista preinstalled won't make any difference.

[Phil Airtime]

Besides, making people chose between something called "Ubuntu" or windows vista preinstalled won't make any difference.

There's a simple solution here. Relaunch Ubuntu as Vindows Wista.

[adamorjames]

Actually, almost no one commented this (http://ubuntuforums.org/showthread.php?p=3470009). Why?

There was already a thread about this a while back so it's old news.

[n3tfury]

this kind of things only makes nerds and geeks jump for joy. the general public doesn't care much.

[Iceni]

There's a simple solution here. Relaunch Ubuntu as Vindows Wista.

Would help microsoft sell more windows at least .. :guitar: