Snappy newsletters. Simple Facebook sharing. Spirited comments. Sweet features are waiting… GET THEM NOW!

Hot on Facebook
Guy Buys $123 Safe on eBay, Finds $26,000 Inside Seller tries to get half the cash back, fails »

Microsoft Faces New Suit on Competition

Small Norwegian company says industry giant stifles rivals

By Caroline Zimmerman,  Newser User

Posted Dec 13, 2007 4:43 PM CST
Email

(Newser) – An independent Norwegian software company is taking on Microsoft in an antitrust complaint filed today with the European Commission. Opera charges the industry behemoth with monopolizing the market by packaging Windows with the Internet Explorer browser, Reuters reports. The moves comes three months after Microsoft had to pay a huge fine in a similar case in Europe.

Opera has the support of the European Committee for Interoperable Systems, an industry coalition and anti-Microsoft agitator. Microsoft claims it will cooperate with the inquiries but denies the charges that it stifles competition. "Consumers and PC manufacturers are free to choose any browsers they wish," a spokesman said.

Microsoft's Brad Smith walks by an European flags after the EU high court in Luxembourg, ruling that dismissed Microsoft Corp.'s appeal of its landmark antitrust conviction in September. The court upheld a record 2004 fine of $613 million for the U.S. software giant for abusing its market monopoly....
Microsoft's Brad Smith walks by an European flags after the EU high court in Luxembourg, ruling that dismissed Microsoft Corp.'s appeal of its landmark antitrust conviction in September. The court upheld...   (Associated Press)
Microsoft Chairman Bill Gates speaks during a ceremony in Bucharest, Romania, in this Thursday Feb.1 2007 file photo. (AP Photo/Vadim Ghirda, File)
Microsoft Chairman Bill Gates speaks during a ceremony in Bucharest, Romania, in this Thursday Feb.1 2007 file photo. (AP Photo/Vadim Ghirda, File)   (Associated Press)
Bill Gates, Microsoft CEO, addresses the National Society of Black Engineers on the Microsoft Campus, in Redmond, Wash., on Friday, Nov. 16, 2007. (AP Photo/Kevin P. Casey)
Bill Gates, Microsoft CEO, addresses the National Society of Black Engineers on the Microsoft Campus, in Redmond, Wash., on Friday, Nov. 16, 2007. (AP Photo/Kevin P. Casey)   (Associated Press)
« Prev« Prev | Next »Next » Slideshow
To report an error on this story, notify our editors.
A snapshot of the day's best news stories.
 
COMMENTS
Be the first to comment on this story.

Challenges to Microsoft dominance in the US
ComputerWorld

Opera's move: not smart
Machinist Subscription

A roundup of reactions to the suit
Seattle Post-Intelligencer

 
Microsoft • Internet Explorer • monopoly • Opera • antitrust suit

More Newser Stories

Microsoft Move Won't Derail Antitrust Case

Tech Leaders Unite Against Microsoft

Apple Takes a Bite Out of the Competition

Microsoft Adds Do-Not-Track to Internet Explorer

Microsoft Execs Thwarted IE Privacy Plans
NEWS FROM OUR PARTNERS
Other Sites We Like:   24/7 Wall St.   |   Betty Confidential   |   BuzzFeed   |   Cracked   |   Fark   |   Timelines   |   The Frisky   |   Geek Sugar   |   NewsOne