EC's statement on end of Microsoft investigation

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So what does this mean?

"As regards tying, Microsoft is required, within 90 days, to offer to PC manufacturers a version of its Windows client PC operating system without WMP. The un-tying remedy does not mean that consumers will obtain PCs and operating systems without media players. Most consumers purchase a PC from a PC manufacturer which has already put together on their behalf a bundle of an operating system and a media player. As a result of the Commission's remedy, the configuration of such bundles will reflect what consumers want, and not what Microsoft imposes."

Does this mean Microsoft must remove only the WMP application itself, or the entire media functionality? If it's the latter, what about all of those applications that have been written with the expectation that media-playing functionality (in the form of DLLs) is already present in every Windows system? Will applications now have to be shipped with their own media functionality? How does that help consumers?

If it's the former, will Microsoft's detractors really be satisfied? The same thing could have been accomplished simply by requiring Microsoft to allow OEMs to decide which media player is installed as the default, without requiring Microsoft itself to ship a version of Windows with a different (or no) media player application installed. WMP the application can be removed from Windows (I've done it myself), although the underlying media functionality can't.

So what's really been accomplished?

Carl Rapson

Posted by: rapson   Posted on: 03/24/04 You are currently: a Guest | Members login | Terms of Use

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