Out of Windows, Office is investigated in turn

The European Union's antitrust agency (EU) may open a new investigation to Microsoft software firm due to allegations of Microsoft Office's "unfair monopoly".

Last month, a group of giant software competitors, including IBM, Oracle, and Sun Microsystems, accused Microsoft of not allowing other vendors to develop products similar to Office and calculated. Compatible with Windows operating system.

On Tuesday (March 7), the EU High Commissioner for Competition Neelie Kroes told Tokyo press reporters: " We have a duty and responsibility to carefully review any allegations. If the allegations are valid we will have to investigate . "

Microsoft faced a $ 2.4 million a day fine for what the EU accused software firms of not complying with the ruling of the 2004 antitrust lawsuit.

But recently, Microsoft has accused the EU of "going night" with its competitors and was not fair to them. A hearing will be held later this month to hear Microsoft present their defense points. If unsuccessful Microsoft will have to enforce the penalty.

Microsoft Office software suite is one of the software that brings high sales for Microsoft and really has a unique position in the enterprise software market. This quarter, sales of this software brought to Microsoft up to 2.1 billion USD - accounting for 45% of its total revenue.

The truth is, Matt Rosoff, an Kirkland analyst, said antitrust lawsuits have become familiar to Microsoft. Antitrust lawsuits are simply a business condition of this software company.

" Even if they don't violate any law, but if the competitor thinks that Microsoft has done something similar to what was previously ruled, there could be a new lawsuit ," Rosoff said. .

" Microsoft has considered antitrust lawsuits in their plans. That is how the software company still maintains its dominance in software markets such as operating systems or office applications . "

HVD - (Techweb)