Charles on… anything that comes along

A lot has been written about the EC decision on Microsoft being upheld (as in, MS will have to comply with the original ruling while it prepares and fights its appeal against the original ruling).

Most people seem to be making noises about the fact that Microsoft will have to produce a version of Windows without Media Player. That might be tough, but it’ll hardly destroy it, because there aren’t going to be many OEMs who’ll sell Windows sans WMP.

However, the other part of the ruling is that MS has to reveal more detail about how its client and server systems communicate. That’s really important to efforts like the Samba organisation, an open-source attempt to reverse-engineer that communication.

The key point is that that information will now get out there - irrevocably. It won’t stay in Europe. And if Microsoft wins the appeal, how is it going to recall the information.. Hmm. Unless it were to threaten to sue in the event that it wins the appeal; such an approach would effectively stymie all but the very brave who were sure that the appeal would be lost.

Given how many businesses took fright when SCO waved patent threats at Linux, the latter might be what’ll happen.

These posts might be related (the database thinks..):
• Yeah, what he said (27 June 2005; score: 44.87%)
• The first time email has made the BBC Ten O'Clock News? (17 May 2005; score: 37.06%)
• Patch Windows XP - but get a Passport first (15 July 2004; score: 35.63%)