“Microsoft Corp. was ordered to separate its instant messaging service from its Windows software and allow rival products on its system in South Korea after losing an antitrust case on Wednesday,” Kim Yeon-hee and Lee Shin-hyung report for Reuters. “The U.S. software firm, which was also fined about US$32 million, said it would appeal the decision by South Korea’s Fair Trade Commission (FTC) but did not plan to make good on a threat to withdraw its Windows operating system from the country… ‘Windows’ Media Server, Media Player and Internet Messenger services were blocking competition and leading to a monopoly in the market, as well as raising the entry barriers to PC server and operating system makers, hurting the interest of consumers,’ said FTC Chairman Kang Chul-kyu at a news briefing. Analysts said the ruling would have limited ramifications beyond South Korea.”
Full article here.
MacDailyNews Take: Ooh, $32 million. That’ll teach ’em! How will Gates ever be able to scrape together that princely sum?
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Microsoft threatens to boost South Korean productivity by withdrawing Windows – October 29, 2005