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65 lines
2.9 KiB
65 lines
2.9 KiB
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<title>News - FSFE calls on Microsoft to release interoperability information without restrictions</title>
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<h1>FSFE calls on Microsoft to release interoperability information without restrictions</h1>
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<p>The European Commission has fined Microsoft 899 million Euro for
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anti-competitive behaviour by restricting access to interoperability
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information through unreasonable royalty payments prior to October
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2007. This is in addition previous fines of 497 million Euro and 280
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million Euro applied in the same investigation, resulting in a total
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penalty of 1.676 billion Euro.</p>
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<p>"Microsoft is the last company that actively promotes the use of
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software patents to restrict interoperability. This kind of behaviour
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has no place in an Internet society where all components should connect
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seamlessly regardless of their origin," says Georg Greve, president of
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the Free Software Foundation Europe.</p>
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<p>"The idea that interoperability information for software can be
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restricted by software patents is simply unacceptable," comments Shane
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Coughlan, head of FSFE's Freedom Task Force. "The Commission is now
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recognising this issue in the context of understanding that patent
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royalties can distort the market. We have to ensure that such
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distortion does not occur again. If Microsoft wants to act in good
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faith it should release all the interoperability information for its
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products on a royalty free basis."</p>
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<p>"Microsoft have abused their monopoly position to prevent competition
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and choice," says Jonas Oberg, vice-president of Free Software
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Foundation Europe. "Yesterday's decision by the Commission is step
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towards correcting this but Microsoft are still reaping the benefits of
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their abuse. We need to act to restore a free market in European software."</p>
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<p>Context: <a href="http://europa.eu/rapid/pressReleasesAction.do?reference=IP/08/318&format=HTML&aged=0&language=EN&guiLanguage=en">The European Commission press release</a>.</p>
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<p>About the Free Software Foundation Europe:</p>
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<p class="aboutfsfe">The Free Software Foundation Europe (FSFE) is a non-profit
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non-governmental organisation active in many European countries and
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involved in many global activities. Access to software determines
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participation in a digital society. To secure equal participation in
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the information age, as well as freedom of competition, the Free
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Software Foundation Europe (FSFE) pursues and is dedicated to the
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furthering of Free Software, defined by the freedoms to use, study,
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modify and copy. Founded in 2001, creating awareness for these issues,
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securing Free Software politically and legally, and giving people
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Freedom by supporting development of Free Software are central issues
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of the FSFE.<br/>
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<br/>
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Further information: https://fsfe.org</p>
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