本周一，欧盟正式开始两项针对微软的反垄断调查。
一是微软是否限制其他公司获取有关的产品信息，比如word和excel，这些公司想制造和这些软件兼容的软件。
二是微软是否在大多数电脑上捆绑了IE浏览器。
关于Opera起诉微软利用视窗操作系统捆绑IE浏览器涉嫌垄断的前前后后，请看以前的文章，这里，那里。
European Union opens new Microsoft probe
(AP report) European Union regulators said Monday they were investigating whether software giant Microsoft Inc. used its market dominance to squeeze out office software and Internet browser rivals. Read more.
Opera向欧盟提交了针对微软在视窗操作系统中捆绑IE插件的反垄断起诉书之后，微软的新闻发言人对此事表明了微软的态度，总结起来有两点：
1.视窗系统中包括IE是一种方便用户的行为，IE是操作系统的一部分。
2.PC制造厂商在电脑出厂前有预装各种浏览器的自由。用户也有把任何浏览器设置为默认浏览器的自由。
也就是说，微软不认为有所谓捆绑的问题，也不承认有强迫用户使用IE浏览器的行为。
Microsoft struck back Opera
Opera filed an anti-trust complaiment to EU last week, alleging that Microsoft amused its dominating position to bundle IE with the ms system,it harmed the choice of users selecting browser and IE technology is backward.
The MS representative retorted that “We believe the inclusion of the (IE) browser into the operating system benefits consumers, and that consumers and PC manufacturers are already free to choose to use any browsers they wish,” a Microsoft representative said. “Internet Explorer has been an integral part of the Windows operating system for over a decade and supports a wide range of Web standards.”
The Microsoft representative added that “computer users have complete freedom of choice to use and set as default any browser they wish, including Opera, and PC manufacturers can also preinstall any browser as the default on any Windows machine they sell.”
俗话说“蔫人出豹子”，一向低调的浏览器公司Opera向欧盟委员会提出了旨在针对微软公司的反垄断指控。指控集中在两点：第一，微软利用了视窗操作系统的垄断地位，捆绑了IE操作系统，造成了浏览器市场垄断的事实；第二，IE浏览器本身技术并不高明，而且拒绝接受网络业界的标准，造成了对技术进步的阻碍。
Opera要求欧盟委员会对微软采取两项措施。第一，在视窗操作系统中不再捆绑IE浏览器，或者预装多款浏览器。第二，接受经过网络专家委员会认可的网络标准。
虽然已经提交了诉讼，但欧盟委员会能否开始反垄断调查还未可知。几年前，另一家浏览器公司Netscape也提出过类似诉讼，但是欧盟委员会并没有开展调查。Netscape在很短的时间内就失去了原来在欧洲保持的领先地位。Netscape的技术部分融入到了Firefox当中。
Opera自然知道这段历史，但是他们也引用另一段历史来说明不是没有希望。欧盟委员会曾经接到过播放器厂商RealNetworks的反垄断申请，并着手调查，最终于2005年作出决定，要求微软在欧洲销售的视窗系统中不能绑定播放器media player。这在当时被看作是一项里程碑式的胜利。但是很快，几个月以后，微软和RealNetworks达成了合作协议，微软付出了现金加服务共7.61亿美元的代价，换回了RealNetworks撤回了反垄断诉讼。详情请见这个报道。
我将持续关注这场诉讼的进程。
Opera files antitrust complaint with the EU
Opera Software ASA filed a complaint with the European Commission yesterday which is aimed at giving consumers a genuine choice of Web browsers.
The complaint describes how Microsoft is abusing its dominant position by tying its browser, Internet Explorer, to the Windows operating system and by hindering interoperability by not following accepted Web standards. Opera has requested the Commission to take the necessary actions to compel Microsoft to give consumers a real choice and to support open Web standards in Internet Explorer.
Want to know more?see here.
