by CIO Staff

MS, EU Officials Meet In Redmond, Wa.

News
Jan 30, 20062 mins
IT Leadership

Today, Microsoft and European Commission (EC) officials planned a meeting in Redmond, Wa., where Microsoft is headquartered, to discuss the relevancy of last week’s announcement that the company would offer up its Windows source code to meet the EC’s 2004 antitrust ruling, Reuters reports.

Microsoft has been under the threat of fines totaling roughly $2.4 million a day for failing to comply with the antitrust ruling. 

The company plans to submit a proposal to license inspection of some of the company’s source code, but a spokesperson for the EC said Microsoft’s offer could mean naught.  

Without detailed instructions that would enable competitors to develop server software that works as well with Windows as Microsoft’s does, the source code offer will not satisfy the EC.

Microsoft said the proposal to reveal its software would be detailed to the EC at the Redmond meetings.

A Commission spokesperson would not confirm the meetings, but said, “If Microsoft wants to offer source code that is completely up to Microsoft,” he said. “What counts is that it comply with the March, 2004 decision.  It is by no means sure that divulging the source would be relevant.  If they think it is, then they must explain why.”

For CIO’s past coverage, check out Microsoft to License Windows Source Codeand EU Commish Surprised by Microsoft Source Code Offer.

-Al Sacco