cc credit: work by southtyrolean on flickr
Just saw this:
Microsoft Ordered to Delete Browser - NYTimes.com
Then wondered when we won’t next see this:
BRUSSELS (DS) — The European Union said Friday that Ford and GM’s practice of selling tires together with their individualized transportation systems (i.e. cars and trucks) violated the union’s antitrust rules.
It ordered the battered US vehicle making giants to untie tires from their products in the 27-nation union, enabling makers of rival tyres to compete fairly.
“These Yanks tying of tires to their vehicles harms competition between tyre makers, undermines product innovation and ultimately reduces consumer choice,” the E.U. said in a statement.
It gave the Big Two eight weeks to respond, adding that the companies could defend their position in a hearing if it found that useful for the amusement of the EU court systems.
A frustrated US product spokesman issued a statement saying, “We are committed to conducting our business in full compliance with European law, no matter how difficult our attempts to navigate and understand confusing EU member government ministries might be.”
The commission’s investigation into these latest charges of unfairly equipping their vehicles with tires began a year ago, after European Carmakers filed a complaint. They argued that US car makers hurt EU competitors not only by bundling tires with vehicles, in effect allowing them to drive vehicles these products directly off the dealer lot after purchase, but also continued to hurt their feelings by not following accepted internationally accepted standards as to which side of the road is the proper one to drive on.
According to the EU spokesman after catching his breath from a laughing-fit, Chrysler was left out of the suit because, “…nobody takes them seriously anyway…they are like that software made by penguins in the Arctic.”
I’m certainly no Internet Explorer fan, but I’m thinking most folks are savvy enough to know how to download and install an alternative browser to IE on their own by now.
I can’t believe I am saying this, but I can’t imagine a Windows OS release that didn’t include any web-browser included at all as part of the install package. Certainly Microsoft has a right to include a web-browser in their software OS packages? Yes I wish the Windows OS didn’t require IE for operation of some things, but sheesh. Cut ‘em some slack here guys…
I haven’t forgotten the uproar and furor that IE generated last time this reared its head. But come, on. Now I think things are getting a bit silly overseas!
--Claus V.
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