A group of the world's largest technology companies complained to the European Commission on Wednesday that Microsoft was guilty of anticompetitive practices.
The European Committee for Interoperable Systems (ECIS), which includes IBM, Nokia, Oracle and RealNetworks, claimed that Microsoft was hampering competition in the software market.
"We are at a crossroads," said ECIS in a statement. "Will one dominant player be permitted to control those conditions, or will the rules that guarantee competition on the merits prevail, to the benefit of all?"
ECIS called on the EC to take action against Microsoft. It cited the software giant's refusal to use the OpenDocument standard or release details of its .doc, .xls and .ppt file formats, which prevents the makers of other productivity suites from being fully interoperable with Microsoft Office.
"ECIS deeply regrets that strong antitrust law enforcement appears to be the only way to stop the sustained anti-competitive behaviour of Microsoft," said Simon Awde, chairman of the group.
A spokesperson for the European Commission told journalists that the EC was examining the complaint.
But Microsoft downplayed the significance of ECIS's move.
"We have come to expect that as we introduce new products that benefit consumers, particularly with the kind of breakthrough technologies in Office 12 and Windows Vista, a few competitors will complain," a Microsoft spokeswoman told ZDNet UK.
Microsoft also accused ECIS of bias, and hiding behind legal processes.
"ECIS is a front for IBM and a few other competitors who constantly seek to use the regulatory process to their business advantage. When faced with innovation, they choose litigation. We will respond quickly and comprehensively to any requests for information from the Commission on this complaint, but no such requests have been received so far," Microsoft added.
Last week, Microsoft and the EC traded blows over the 2004 antitrust ruling, with Microsoft accusing the Commission of disregarding evidence and failing to follow due process. This enraged the Free Software Foundation which said Microsoft's attack was outrageous.
Talkback
While I do not agree with many of Microsoft practices, it must be accepted that it is a commercial organisation that has developed the world's most successful operating system and a host of programmes that run on it.
I consider that when Msoft introduces a new or improved programme it is fully entitled to keep secret the source programming, although perhaps there should be universal legislation to cover ALL programming that after, say, three years the source code ceases to be intellectual property.
But such legislation would, of course, necessarily include all electronic data sources such as music and video !!!!
This was never about "secret source". It's about undocumented protocols and interfaces that constantly give MS a "home advantage" in the market for Windows applications.
Chris Rankin,
Good response. I fail to understand why many still interpret the decree to be about "opening" source code. I t has, and is the same in the US decree, always been about fair rights to interface with MS products...not about their source code. Specs for the protocols allow all products to interface, source code only solves one instance within that world.
Whatever. Office 12's file formats are fuly documented and XML-based. Vista's 'Avalon' presentation framework is also XML-based and fully documented. That's going to make it really hard for IBM Global Services to sell you a multi-million-dollar, outsourced contract to develop with it, now isn't it?
Open Sourcerers need to stop allowing themselves to be exploited by the likes of IBM, Sun and Oracle.
regarding - "Office 12's file formats are fuly documented"..
Well, I guess if you call "This data is encrypted & we will use the DRM laws to prevent anyone else from accessing it" fully documented, you are correct.. But it aint open.. & _that_ is the complaint.
IBM et al, may be using us.. but they aren't _abusing_ us.. MS is.