Comments on: The Law isn’t an ass. Its a donkey. On the EU and Microsoft http://www.redmonk.com/jgovernor/2008/01/15/the-law-isnt-an-ass-its-a-donkey-on-the-eu-and-microsoft/ An industry analyst blog looking at software ecosystems and convergence Thu, 04 Dec 2008 03:21:24 +0000 http://wordpress.org/?v=2.6.3 By: Dalibor Topic http://www.redmonk.com/jgovernor/2008/01/15/the-law-isnt-an-ass-its-a-donkey-on-the-eu-and-microsoft/#comment-282138 Dalibor Topic Wed, 23 Jan 2008 11:31:09 +0000 http://www.redmonk.com/jgovernor/2008/01/15/the-law-isnt-an-ass-its-a-donkey-on-the-eu-and-microsoft/#comment-282138 Oh, no doubt about it, there are good people working for change everywhere, even at Microsoft ... but I don't really see any of them attaining any position of power within Microsoft as long as the current business model generates soaring, excellent revenue. And that it does, all the wishful open source slow-mo world domination hopes aside. So while coexistence is the new way of life for open source, now that it's become mainstream, and turning the hot war into a cold one has some benefits to Microsoft, too, any attempt to turn Microsoft around must involve reducing Microsoft's bottom line, or it won't work in a corporate culture where XBox' 1B+ USD failures are written off as peanuts. Since the market is not capable of changing itself, or being changed by actors within the market, for the benefit of the future leaner, customer serving and efficient Microsoft, the change must come from outside the market, in form of regulative actions. So, yeah, for the good of Microsoft, more bitter medicine, please. I'd hate to see it cling on to the predatory style of life while reinforcing an internal story of an ABM conspiracy being out there to victimize them. That didn't work so well for Serbia under Milosevic, so I doubt it will for Microsoft, either. Oh, no doubt about it, there are good people working for change everywhere, even at Microsoft … but I don’t really see any of them attaining any position of power within Microsoft as long as the current business model generates soaring, excellent revenue. And that it does, all the wishful open source slow-mo world domination hopes aside.

So while coexistence is the new way of life for open source, now that it’s become mainstream, and turning the hot war into a cold one has some benefits to Microsoft, too, any attempt to turn Microsoft around must involve reducing Microsoft’s bottom line, or it won’t work in a corporate culture where XBox’ 1B+ USD failures are written off as peanuts.

Since the market is not capable of changing itself, or being changed by actors within the market, for the benefit of the future leaner, customer serving and efficient Microsoft, the change must come from outside the market, in form of regulative actions.

So, yeah, for the good of Microsoft, more bitter medicine, please. I’d hate to see it cling on to the predatory style of life while reinforcing an internal story of an ABM conspiracy being out there to victimize them.

That didn’t work so well for Serbia under Milosevic, so I doubt it will for Microsoft, either.

]]> By: jgovernor http://www.redmonk.com/jgovernor/2008/01/15/the-law-isnt-an-ass-its-a-donkey-on-the-eu-and-microsoft/#comment-280861 jgovernor Mon, 21 Jan 2008 17:48:50 +0000 http://www.redmonk.com/jgovernor/2008/01/15/the-law-isnt-an-ass-its-a-donkey-on-the-eu-and-microsoft/#comment-280861 Hey Dalibor - thanks for the feedback. i would argue Microsoft's corporate culture has already changed a lot. The fact is - it now no longer only has one culture. Are there some old fashioned monopolists at the company? absolutely. but are there forces for change, and interoperability - absolutely there are. see Port25 Hey Dalibor - thanks for the feedback. i would argue Microsoft’s corporate culture has already changed a lot. The fact is - it now no longer only has one culture. Are there some old fashioned monopolists at the company? absolutely. but are there forces for change, and interoperability - absolutely there are. see Port25

]]> By: Dalibor Topic http://www.redmonk.com/jgovernor/2008/01/15/the-law-isnt-an-ass-its-a-donkey-on-the-eu-and-microsoft/#comment-278227 Dalibor Topic Fri, 18 Jan 2008 15:56:28 +0000 http://www.redmonk.com/jgovernor/2008/01/15/the-law-isnt-an-ass-its-a-donkey-on-the-eu-and-microsoft/#comment-278227 I'd disagree, and point out that Microsoft desperately needs an incentive to change its corporate culture away from the current 'must kill all humans' crop. Anti-trust lawsuits are a great way to generate that incentive externally from the company, as long as its leadership is incapable of doing do. Given that the EU had to literally force Microsoft to open up specs to Samba, for example, I'd say that Microsoft is still culturally incapable of coexistence, so those wishing to coexist with them in a web of standards have little choice but to use the tools the law gives them to attach a price to Microsoft's predatory behavior, where the market has been prevented from doing so. I’d disagree, and point out that Microsoft desperately needs an incentive to change its corporate culture away from the current ‘must kill all humans’ crop. Anti-trust lawsuits are a great way to generate that incentive externally from the company, as long as its leadership is incapable of doing do.

Given that the EU had to literally force Microsoft to open up specs to Samba, for example, I’d say that Microsoft is still culturally incapable of coexistence, so those wishing to coexist with them in a web of standards have little choice but to use the tools the law gives them to attach a price to Microsoft’s predatory behavior, where the market has been prevented from doing so.

]]> By: Flock rocks - and Microsoft is not going to take over the world. Deal with it. « Total Immersion http://www.redmonk.com/jgovernor/2008/01/15/the-law-isnt-an-ass-its-a-donkey-on-the-eu-and-microsoft/#comment-277708 Flock rocks - and Microsoft is not going to take over the world. Deal with it. « Total Immersion Thu, 17 Jan 2008 21:37:03 +0000 http://www.redmonk.com/jgovernor/2008/01/15/the-law-isnt-an-ass-its-a-donkey-on-the-eu-and-microsoft/#comment-277708 [...] “You need Flock,” he said, a statement I promptly forgot until I saw it mentioned in an article by James Governor earlier today. That’s when I saw it, not when he wrote [...] [...] “You need Flock,” he said, a statement I promptly forgot until I saw it mentioned in an article by James Governor earlier today. That’s when I saw it, not when he wrote [...]

]]> By: Thinkovation http://www.redmonk.com/jgovernor/2008/01/15/the-law-isnt-an-ass-its-a-donkey-on-the-eu-and-microsoft/#comment-277591 Thinkovation Thu, 17 Jan 2008 17:27:44 +0000 http://www.redmonk.com/jgovernor/2008/01/15/the-law-isnt-an-ass-its-a-donkey-on-the-eu-and-microsoft/#comment-277591 <strong>The EU and Microsoft - Another investigation or two…...</strong> The EU has recently announced two new anti-trust investigations against Microsoft. The first is the result of a complaint by European Committee for Interoperable Systems (ECIS) in which ECIS alleges that Microsoft has illegally refused to provide inte... The EU and Microsoft - Another investigation or two……

The EU has recently announced two new anti-trust investigations against Microsoft. The first is the result of a complaint by European Committee for Interoperable Systems (ECIS) in which ECIS alleges that Microsoft has illegally refused to provide inte…

]]> By: jgovernor http://www.redmonk.com/jgovernor/2008/01/15/the-law-isnt-an-ass-its-a-donkey-on-the-eu-and-microsoft/#comment-277521 jgovernor Thu, 17 Jan 2008 14:52:30 +0000 http://www.redmonk.com/jgovernor/2008/01/15/the-law-isnt-an-ass-its-a-donkey-on-the-eu-and-microsoft/#comment-277521 thanks very much Jon - nice to know i am not bonkers. i did partly expect to get hammered for this one. Gary - good one. i think the three official language argument actually supports my argument. which is lucky. Ned- the EU doesn't actually mandate ODF. thanks very much Jon - nice to know i am not bonkers. i did partly expect to get hammered for this one.

Gary - good one. i think the three official language argument actually supports my argument. which is lucky.

Ned- the EU doesn’t actually mandate ODF.

]]> By: Jon Collins http://www.redmonk.com/jgovernor/2008/01/15/the-law-isnt-an-ass-its-a-donkey-on-the-eu-and-microsoft/#comment-277483 Jon Collins Thu, 17 Jan 2008 13:31:59 +0000 http://www.redmonk.com/jgovernor/2008/01/15/the-law-isnt-an-ass-its-a-donkey-on-the-eu-and-microsoft/#comment-277483 Cracking post James, a bit of common sense is very welcome in this whole debate. And I'm not just saying that because I agree with you - rather because you see both sides, rather than picking one or the other. Cheers, Jon Cracking post James, a bit of common sense is very welcome in this whole debate. And I’m not just saying that because I agree with you - rather because you see both sides, rather than picking one or the other.

Cheers, Jon

]]> By: Gary http://www.redmonk.com/jgovernor/2008/01/15/the-law-isnt-an-ass-its-a-donkey-on-the-eu-and-microsoft/#comment-276405 Gary Wed, 16 Jan 2008 10:36:28 +0000 http://www.redmonk.com/jgovernor/2008/01/15/the-law-isnt-an-ass-its-a-donkey-on-the-eu-and-microsoft/#comment-276405 James.. Spot-on Mr G. Although.. The EU does limit the languages in which it conducts its own business - English, French and German And... I'm very doubtful of the stats that give FF a 25% market share in Europe - 25% is a good deal higher than the consensus which is around 14%. ned.. ODF isn't "mandated" by the EU (yet) - although there are encouraging signs that several EU countries are adopting it (Italy, France, Spain, Norway). James..

Spot-on Mr G.

Although..

The EU does limit the languages in which it conducts its own business - English, French and German

And… I’m very doubtful of the stats that give FF a 25% market share in Europe - 25% is a good deal higher than the consensus which is around 14%.

ned..

ODF isn’t “mandated” by the EU (yet) - although there are encouraging signs that several EU countries are adopting it (Italy, France, Spain, Norway).

]]> By: ned http://www.redmonk.com/jgovernor/2008/01/15/the-law-isnt-an-ass-its-a-donkey-on-the-eu-and-microsoft/#comment-275824 ned Tue, 15 Jan 2008 22:28:44 +0000 http://www.redmonk.com/jgovernor/2008/01/15/the-law-isnt-an-ass-its-a-donkey-on-the-eu-and-microsoft/#comment-275824 I thought it did mandate a single document format - ODF. It's ISO approved and so is the "single language" you mention. The only problem is convincing MS to agree. I thought it did mandate a single document format - ODF. It’s ISO approved and so is the “single language” you mention. The only problem is convincing MS to agree.

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