If they are as concerned as you say over the EU's bigger bite - why did they
wait so long after being informed of the
issue before they started moving on it? Why did they only move on it when the
Commission - rather then consumers - pointed out the problem?
The
apparent facts:
The original promise for the choice, rolled out in Feb 2010,
was that the choice was to be in place till 2014.
The patch that was
applied that ended up removing the browser choice was rolled out in Feb
2011. Merely one year after the initial rollout.
Some who
noticed informed Microsoft of that.
Dec 2011 Microsoft represented to
the EU Commission that the choice was still available knowing - or should have
known - that customers have raised the issue.
July 2012 the EU
Commission started acting on complaints about the choice.
Microsoft
then - apparently - noticed the problem and promised to get right on top of
it:
15 months after the problem first appeared
at least 7 months
after Microsoft had informed the EU Commission that it was still
available.
I don't for a moment believe - given the time frames
involved - that this was an innocent technical error. As a result, I humbly
conclude this is just Microsoft testing the waters. Seeing how much the EU
Commission is paying attention and to what in order to see what they can get
away with.
Like an unruly child who has only received a very mild
reprimand for trying to get funny with the rules and will try again, it wouldn't
surprise me in the slightest Microsoft will try again.
EU or not -
Microsoft appears to have gotten away with their behavior in relation to the
"OOXML Industry Specification". There are behaviors that some of us find
dis-tasteful that Microsoft can still get away with and Microsoft knows
it.
Additionally, some interesting questions to be asked:
How many
computers went out without the choice in the meantime?
How many of
those will have the choice pop up for them the first time they log in after the
new patch is applied?
Will Microsoft receive some type of punishment
(such as a massive fine) from the EU Commission for this failure?
My
fortune telling guess: If Microsoft is not fined, expect a new patch about a
year from now that removes the choice again.
To keep Microsoft playing
nicely: You have to constantly watch them and not look away.
RAS[ Reply to This | Parent | # ]
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