The letter
expresses concerns only, and does not indicate the launch of an
investigation into the system.
"We are concerned about the possibility that Vista will include
software elements which are available separately either sold by
Microsoft or by other software companies," the Commissioner’s
spokesman, Jonathan Todd said, according to the New York Times.
The Commission is also reportedly worried whether Microsoft
would make sufficient disclosures to allow rival firms to make
their products interoperable with Vista.
Microsoft’s Windows operating system was found in March 2004 to
have broken competition rules by leveraging its near monopoly in
the market for PC operating systems onto the markets for work group
server operating systems and for media players.
The Commission imposed a fine, ordered Microsoft to offer an
alternative stripped-down version of Windows, and ordered the firm
to publish some of its interfaces, so that competitors could make
their products interoperable with Windows.
A hearing in respect of Microsoft’s compliance with the
interoperability provision of that ruling began today. The software
giant is fighting a preliminary conclusion by the Commission that
the documents supplied so far by the firm are inaccurate and
incomplete. It has threatened to fine Microsoft up to €2 million a
day for non-compliance.
As part of its evidence, Microsoft plans to submit statements
from six tech firms who have signed up to a similar US
interoperability program. The firms are expected to say that they
have successfully used the US documentation to develop and release
interoperable software products to the marketplace.
