The European Commission (EC) confirmed over the weekend that it is currently investigating complaints regarding the Windows Vista operating system from Microsoft’s competitors.
“Several companies have expressed concerns about Microsoft’s Windows Vista to the European Commission; however, there has not yet been an official complaint filed,” said Jonathan Todd, a spokesperson for Neelie Kroes, the EC’s Commissioner for Competition. “The EC has not initiated any formal investigation, but we are closely monitoring the situation.”
When asked about the legitimacy of the complaints, Todd indicated that the commission would need to examine several integrated products within Vista. However, he declined to provide further details.
Meanwhile, the U.S. Department of Justice is also examining Vista’s booting features and whether computer manufacturers can customize the display options for users when assembling PCs.
Todd emphasized that Microsoft must comply with all principles outlined in the 2004 antitrust ruling. Under this ruling, Microsoft was found guilty of abusing its dominant position in the PC operating system market when designing and implementing Vista.
Tomorrow, Microsoft will be required to officially respond to the EC’s request to explain why it must adhere to the rulings from the 2004 antitrust case. If the EC does not accept Microsoft’s arguments, the company will face a penalty of up to $2.4 million.
The EC stated that Microsoft has yet to provide sufficient documentation to enable competitors to develop products that can operate compatibly with Microsoft’s server software. However, Microsoft argues that it has fulfilled all such requirements, including providing documentation, proposing access to source code, and offering free technical assistance…
