It can be quite safely assumed that readers of this Web site are hardly fans of Microsoft, so after some disappointing news and frustrating analysis we are pleased to show that Microsoft is indeed sinking deeper in the mud. One symbolic development will accompany the departure of Bill Gates. Its Board of Directors is now down to 9.
Microsoft Director Jon Shirley Won't Seek Re-Election
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He stayed on the board after stepping down from the executive ranks in 1990.
EU Says Governments Could Bar Microsoft From Bidding
Governments contracting IT work could conclude that Microsoft's antitrust history constitutes "grave professional misconduct" and ban the company, according to the European Commission.
Comments
Penny Lemon
2008-06-18 10:21:40
"But the Commission said in a statement that Microsoft can't be banned from competing for government IT projects because of the fines that have been levied against it."
Roy Schestowitz
2008-06-18 10:32:01
<schestowitz> The good news keeps coming today. http://www.pcworld.com/businesscenter/article/147175/eu_says_governments_could_bar_microsoft_from_bidding.html (EU Says Governments Could Bar Microsoft From Bidding) <kentma> Now that's a major step forward in the anti-corruption crusade. <kentma> Hmm, just upgraded to latest firefox and can't seem to put a url in :-) <PetoKraus> :D * mark_antony_kent has quit (Read error: 110 (Connection timed out)) <schestowitz> Really? In the address bar? <schestowitz> Well, I'll just post it in BN.com <tessier> But WILL they bar MS from bidding? <schestowitz> Well, the important thing is that the proposal was not dismissed, for starters. <schestowitz> I'll post something for context in BN.com. This goes a couple of months back, so needs to be seen in the right context...
Also FTA:
''But the contracting authority is entitled to determine what constitutes "grave professional misconduct," the Commission said.'
IANAL, but it seems important as a precedence and a green light.
PitaGuy
2008-06-18 11:25:32
We know that you have abused a lot of other standards (html, javascript...) for years. You have lost all shame.
ballmer/bill gates himself called up a lot of high standing officials of international countries and asked them to votes in MS favour in return of free copies of vista !!! how sick can this get !
Roy Schestowitz
2008-06-18 14:31:43
http://www.heise.de/english/newsticker/news/109617/from/rss09 ( European Commission won't exclude Microsoft from procurement procedures )
"The EC substantiated its decision by saying that the directive provides for the possibility of exclusion, but does not make it obligatory."
Perhaps it's better than nothing. It's a semi-endorsement but not a win.
Slated
2008-06-19 09:05:08
The conclusion is that governments are within their rights to interpret Microsoft's previous criminal behaviour as "grave professional misconduct", and thus use that as a legitimate reason for precluding them from being eligible to bid for contracts. However they conceded that Microsoft are not automatically banned merely because they were found guilty.
IOW it is at the discretion of each respective government to decide, but they would be entitled to ban Microsoft if they chose to.