Comments on: For your nightmares: 10 more things which could be unbundled from Windows

By: Martin

Martin — Mon, 15 Jun 2009 12:48:17 +0000

Heck, if the EU wants an excuse to go after Microsoft it would make more sense to do so for failing to deliver the OS and applications in UK English.

Martin

By: tim

tim — Sun, 14 Jun 2009 19:28:18 +0000

The problem here must have something to do with figuring out where the operating system stops and applications begin.

That’s one of the problems. There are others though. While I think Microsoft should not be allowed to abuse its position, I also think it should be allowed to compete fairly with other OS vendors – ie. Apple. Maybe those two desiderata are hard to reconcile. Consumer interests matter too – that’s what, in theory, the EU is trying to protect; but hobbling Microsoft’s ability to create an integrated OS isn’t in consumer interest; 3rd party utilities are often, IME, a cause of system slowdown and instability.

Tim

By: Brian Lesser

Brian Lesser — Sat, 13 Jun 2009 12:21:05 +0000

Hi Tim,
You wrote: “Competition is good; but so too is a rich, stable and complete operating system.” The problem here must have something to do with figuring out where the operating system stops and applications begin. Being able to defragment a disk or write to a DVD seem like things an operating system should do. But sending faxes, reading and sending E-mail, browsing the Web, and video editing sound like things applications do.

(Maybe you could go either way on faxes? I don’t know.)

At any rate that’s something the various courts will have to decide when the EU is done with IE. Then everyone will look at the resulting case law and decide if they want to try to jump in to court with MS or not.

When I read about this, I often see the words “major application.” I wonder how we are supposed to define what a major application is?

Cheers,
-Brian

By: Andrew

Andrew — Fri, 12 Jun 2009 14:03:40 +0000

Jut to note that Movie Maker, Windows Mail and indeed Windows Messenger which was not mentioned will not be coming installed with Windows 7. All will need to be downloaded as part of the Windows Live suite.

By: tim

tim — Fri, 12 Jun 2009 12:11:55 +0000

@Rob I’d guess the answer to all your question is “Yes” but it’s pure speculation.

Google Maps is an offshoot of Google’s success with search.

Wikipedia is a different model from Encarta; I doubt bundling Encarta would have made a jot of difference to its growth.

Quicken vs Money maybe, but Quicken has won now because Microsoft is no longer interested in its niche.

The really big one is the failure of the original MSN (Blackbird) – which *was* bundled with Windows 95 and potentially could have killed the open web – but no, it didn’t.

Tim

By: Rob Weir

Rob Weir — Fri, 12 Jun 2009 11:50:21 +0000

Of course you can run that argument the other direction as well.

Would Google Maps have ever emerged if Windows had bundled Streets & Maps years ago? Would Quicken have won in the end if Windows had bundled Money years ago? Would Wikipedia have emerged if Microsoft bundled Encarta with Windows years ago?

Consumers benefit from fair competition.