04.24.09
It’s Unofficial: Microsoft Pays ASUS (Kickbacks) to Block GNU/Linux. Will EU Commission Step in?
Summary: “Microsoft is actually paying for using Windows [...] Asus speaker confirmed this in Germany,” says an informant
According to a German Web site, some are being told that Microsoft has been paying ASUS per sale in order for them to install Windows XP and neglect or exclude GNU/Linux. There are some attempts to find the particular place where an official message from ASUS (probably E-mail) let it be known, right after someone had complained about the absence/price of comparable Eee PC with GNU/Linux. Details from the conversation are added below.
“The European Commission needs to intervene if this is provably true.”Considering the fact that less than a year ago an ASUS official said, “currently, we are closely tied up with Microsoft,” the above makes sense. The European Commission needs to intervene if this is provably true. This would mean that Microsoft is still breaking the law behind closed doors. It breaks the laws in some other areas (OOXML for example), but this area should not be neglected. Kickbacks are almost a euphemism for bribes, especially when you are a monopolist. Intel will soon be fined for it in Europe.
Is Microsoft paying OEMs to deny the entry of GNU/Linux into this market (or its survival there)? Could Microsoft be actually charging nothing for Windows XP on some devices? Not even $5? What about the cost of patents that encumber each copy of Microsoft Windows? █
Appendix: Conversation log
| *mib_24m6za (i=58418c01@gateway/web/ajax/mibbit.com/x-f986a58cab439fd0) has joined #boycottnovell | Apr 22 19:46 | |
| mib_24m6za | dang I want to relogin with my real nick but cant even when I delete all cookies…. | Apr 22 19:46 |
|---|---|---|
| mib_24m6za | anyway, MS will get taught a lesson in Russia | Apr 22 19:47 |
| mib_24m6za | simply put they will take the money but go on their way | Apr 22 19:47 |
| schestowitz | Yes | Apr 22 19:47 |
| schestowitz | Russia shows Microsoft’s weakness | Apr 22 19:48 |
| mib_24m6za | I am quite sure this 300m are one of the worst investments every of Ballmer | Apr 22 19:48 |
| schestowitz | It can’t make people pay | Apr 22 19:48 |
| schestowitz | So it dumps | Apr 22 19:48 |
| mib_24m6za | my only concern is that the 300m are no cash but some worthless Windows copies or training classes | Apr 22 19:48 |
| schestowitz | They did something similar in other countries like India | Apr 22 19:48 |
| schestowitz | Yes | Apr 22 19:48 |
| schestowitz | It’s worthless to them | Apr 22 19:48 |
| mib_24m6za | leaving a steaming pile of cash? | Apr 22 19:48 |
| schestowitz | See the link that says “Under no circumstance lose to Linux” | Apr 22 19:49 |
| schestowitz | If Linux wins they get $0 | Apr 22 19:49 |
| mib_24m6za | that was Munich… my home town  |
Apr 22 19:49 |
| schestowitz | So they might as well give Windows+office for $0 | Apr 22 19:49 |
| schestowitz | Basically, here’s how it goes | Apr 22 19:49 |
| schestowitz | One might say, Linux has no chance | Apr 22 19:49 |
| schestowitz | Because Microsoft competes with $0 Windows | Apr 22 19:49 |
| schestowitz | But that’s nonsense | Apr 22 19:50 |
| schestowitz | Because sooner or later that becomes the price of Windows | Apr 22 19:50 |
| schestowitz | See the price of XP on subnotebooks | Apr 22 19:50 |
| schestowitz | About $5 | Apr 22 19:50 |
| schestowitz | because of LINUX | Apr 22 19:50 |
| mib_24m6za | MS is actually paying for using Windows – said that already a 100 times… Asus speaker confirmed this in Germany | Apr 22 19:50 |
| schestowitz | So they won’t be profitable for much longer | Apr 22 19:50 |
| mib_24m6za | they charge 15 USD for Win XP Home but pay a per unit kickback | Apr 22 19:50 |
| mib_24m6za | for every netbook sold | Apr 22 19:50 |
| schestowitz | Ballmer has just taken a cheap shot at Oracle’s purchase of Sun saying it’s a sw company buying a hw company | Apr 22 19:50 |
| schestowitz | He said MS would never do such a thing | Apr 22 19:51 |
| schestowitz | But! | Apr 22 19:51 |
| mib_24m6za | which is higher than the licence fee | Apr 22 19:51 |
| schestowitz | Their sw becomes worthless | Apr 22 19:51 |
| schestowitz | In the cost sense | Apr 22 19:51 |
| schestowitz | So they tried to sell hw without success | Apr 22 19:51 |
| schestowitz | Notably Zune and Xbox | Apr 22 19:51 |
| schestowitz | They lost ?$billions | Apr 22 19:51 |
| mib_24m6za | hey – I own a MS mouse – the best MS product I ever used |
Apr 22 19:51 |
| mib_24m6za mib_2kldw9 mib_bs9bo5 mib_ey0o48 mib_nhm138 mib_vfvtjy | Apr 22 19:51 | |
| schestowitz | mib_24m6za: can you get me that link? | Apr 22 19:52 |
| schestowitz | Even in Deutsch? | Apr 22 19:52 |
| mib_24m6za | yes they are shoveling money in thewir commercial grave so to say :-9 | Apr 22 19:52 |
| schestowitz | I need to use that | Apr 22 19:52 |
| schestowitz | mib_24m6za: please please find me that reference | Apr 22 19:52 |
| schestowitz | From ASUS | Apr 22 19:52 |
| schestowitz | I’d re-cite it a lot when the issue comes up | Apr 22 19:52 |
| mib_24m6za | let me look this up it is buried somewhere here http://www.eee-pc.de/ | Apr 22 19:52 |
| mib_24m6za | or should be there | Apr 22 19:52 |
| mib_24m6za | was a user who mailed Asus why no Linux netbooks | Apr 22 19:53 |
| schestowitz | That would change the whole way we think about this issue | Apr 22 19:53 |
| schestowitz | That’s literally buying one’s market share | Apr 22 19:53 |
| mib_24m6za | and they answered very frankly cause they get kickbacks |
Apr 22 19:53 |
