OT well kinda what will EU do without Microsoft

[Biznatchy]

Lets just say that Bill Gates tells the EU to piss off on the 600 million fine and if you dont like my software ban it from EU.

Now this may be a large jump as it would give way to a real competition emerging in the EU for OS software, and bill wont do it. But lets step out on the imagination limb for a sec and giggle at the EU.

What will games run on if all the EU start using hmmm Linux. If games started putting out software on Linux before windows then the tides would turn a bit. People would be running linux at home to play games and would be better suited to run linux office type software at work. Once that happened the mighty windows would be set to fall.

It is indeed a walk down imagination wonderland. That may indeed turn into a run down nightmare lane. The what if we had to pay for all the stuff [edited for violation of the forum rules -- software piracy]. That would suck.


So the root of this I think is make the Fine 2 billion. Make the choice challanging.

[Myrlin]

Uhh seems to me that they will continue to use Microsoft OSes for gaming since the majority of gamers are kids who don't care about liscensing agreements. Companies would be the ones affected adversely since they could be forced to choose a new OS. That would mean that US companies with foreign offiices would have to support multiple OSes for their employees.

[Scikar]

Gamers would be the first to switch if there was a viable alternative IMO. Gamers are concerned with pretty much one thing: performance. Network admins etc will also know that other OSs are better than Windows but both suffer from the same problem - software. Too much software is Windows only, because there is no benefit from developing for other platforms. Games are made for Windows because nearly everyone has Windows, it's a vicious circle which is unlikely to change any time soon.

But, if we started to see games made for other OSs, other OSs developing to be more gamer-friendly, then Windows would also be forced to change to compete, maybe a streamlined Windows with all the useless crap taken out and aimed at more performance. Then we'd be talking.

[J. Folsom]

It's rather unlikely in the first place that Gates won't pay that fine. He makes more money from all those European companies who keep their OSes at the newest form anyway.

Anyway...

For companies, it really wouldn't matter too much. The only thing which would hurt them is the fact that if they have their own unique programs (Which isn't unlikely), which were made to run under Windows, these would have to be remade to be either Linux or Macintosh compatible. Or they could switch back to older DOS versions, if they're really feeling wacky. :p

For gamers it would hurt more, were it not for the fact that 90% of gamers don't officially buy their OS anyway, so most of them could still continue to use Windows and would simply import their games from the US. Or perhaps Switzerland, since they're not part of the EU. ;p

If we assume that really everyone would get rid of Windows in the EU, then there'd be two possibilities, depending on the developers.
1. They switch over to pure console based gaming for the EU.
2. They switch from Windows to Linux or Macintosh development.

It's likely that most development studios based in the EU would go for option 2., can't speak for developers outside of the EU though.

[Archeus]

Originally posted by Biznatchy
Lets just say that Bill Gates tells the EU to piss off on the 600 million fine and if you dont like my software ban it from EU.

They would get a bigger fine, and then have thier rights to do business in the EU. MS does a hell of a lot of business other then Operating systems/Office.

Also thier revenue is a lot higher in Europe then the US. (or certainly the rest of the world vs US).

There is a lot of stuff already compatible on Linux/Mac that are windows apps.

* Cue usual muppets counter troll.

[Cliffraiser]

600 million is a 2 week profit for MS.

You think they even remotly give a shit about the fine? theyll pay it and just continue doing whatever they want

[Darkborg]

minor comment guys

AFAIK they also have to put out a windows where media player isnt integrated. within 90 days
And open up for the programming code for their interfaces within 120 days. so the competitors can get full compatibility with windows.

oh yeah EU can pretty much bitchslap MS around, in the last resort they could tell IE. the french to go confiscate some of ms's stuff.

[svenw]

Microsoft can do nothing except bow and do as the EU told them. Of cause there will be a lawsuite but Microsoft can't pull out. This would hurt the European Industrie a lot at the beginnig. But then Linux will be the Big shot in Europe and start getting a real alternative to MS. You can almost do anything Windows can do (and some things windows can't) with Linux. Linux is just missing a good game interface like DirectX and a real market for games. If MS leaves Europe there will be a lot of poeple that want to buy games and Software that is not MS based. So there will be a huge market.

Best way for MS to get a strong compeditor.

And what the EU is asking MS to do (separate Windows and the Mediaplayer+ giving out the interfaces) is nothing other nations wouldn't ask MS to. It's just that the EU has the power to force MS.