Microsoft makes changes to Vista

[Redneck88]

Microsoft makes changes to Vista
Software giant cites 'constructive dialogue' with EC, South Korean regulators, says it won't delay shipment of operating system to Europe.
October 13 2006: 9:56 AM EDT


BRUSSELS (Reuters) -- Microsoft Corp said it had made changes to its new operating system Vista after what it called "constructive dialogue" with the European Commission and South Korea over regulatory concerns.

"Microsoft agreed to make a number of changes to Windows Vista in response to guidance the company received from the European Commission," the company cited its general counsel Brad Smith as saying.

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He said Microsoft had agreed to all changes required by the EU to its new operating system Vista after what the company called a "constructive dialogue" with the European Commission and South Korea on regulatory concerns.

"The very good news today is that following the positive conversations and positive dialogue with competition authorities, we will be releasing in Korea and the EU," Smith in a conference call.

After a years-long antitrust case against Microsoft and a record fine of close to half a billion euros (almost $630 million) for anti-competitive behavior, EU Competition Commissioner Neelie Kroes warned Microsoft last March that she had concerns about Vista.

The European Commission was worried that the operating system would package features such as an Internet search function like Google's (Charts) and software similar to that of Adobe's (Charts) PDF fixed document formats.

The "bundling" of such software in an operating system that is used by more than 90 percent of the world's PCs may create a disincentive for customers to then buy Adobe's and Google's products.

Microsoft also plans to tie-in security features with Vista, a move that raised concerns at companies such as McAfee (Charts) and Symantec (Charts), which again offer similar products.

No European delay for Vista
In early September, the software company raised the possibility of delaying the launch of Vista in Europe alone on the concerns of the Commission, saying it was unsure what the regulator required of its new product.

But on Friday, Kroes said Microsoft Chief Executive Steve Ballmer had told her it would not delay shipping Vista.

"He announced that they have the intention to ship it [Vista] globally," she told reporters on the sidelines of a competition conference in Italy.

In a separate statement, the Commission said it would closely monitor the effects Vista had on the market and any complaints relating to it, reiterating that it was not up to the EU executive to give Vista a "green light."

The Commission has long said it is up to a company to ensure that its products comply with European Union laws.

"He [Ballmer] was aware that he shouldn't ask me if I could give a green light to it [Vista] and rightly so," Kroes said of her conversation with the Microsoft executive.

"Microsoft has to be aware that they have a responsibility to take into account the European regulations and European rules and I am expecting that they are doing that," she said.

The stand-off between the software-maker and the Commission is the latest in a lengthy spat between the two.

In 2004, the Commission found Microsoft had abused its market dominance in audiovisual software players and office servers. It forced the U.S. firm to strip out Windows Media Player from its ubiquitous operating system.

The Commission levied a record €497 million fine. In July, EU regulators fined the company a further €280.5 million for defying the ruling, which required it to share information on its servers with rivals.

Microsoft faces a further fine of up to 3 million euros a day if found still not in compliance with the ruling

[harley89]

I have 1 rule regarding any new product from Microsoft.  I never upgrade until it has been on the market for a least 1 year. By then they usually get it debugged enough so it works

[LastCall@2]

I was told it will be on the market.  By Best Buy  Jan 2007
I will just wait and see  <:>