FSFE urges European Commission to keep defending European economic interests

"We congratulate Microsoft on effective use of their considerable financial resources: First they manage to pay off Sun, then Novell and the CCIA. Now they convinced Real Networks to serve their own head on a silver platter for just US $761 Million," comments Georg Greve, president of the Free Software Foundation Europe (FSFE) on the recent agreement between Real Networks and Microsoft. "Given that people were stunned by the apparently large antitrust fine of 500 Million EUR, it is interesting to see how Microsoft has now spent six to seven times that amount on the case just to make sure they won't have to compete in an open market."

"Apple turned down an offer for cooperation from Real Networks in April 2004; teaming up with Microsoft in response is a classic tactical mistake. If they successfully push Apple out of the market, Real Networks will be at the mercy of Microsoft; and if they fail it leaves them out of business. Either way, RealNetworks loses: How long will they survive a full Microsoft onslaught once they are the only two remaining players?" Greve concludes.

"Microsoft is the clear winner in this situation: they convinced Sun, Novell, CCIA and Real Networks to desert the only protection they could turn to now and in the future", Carlo Piana, Milano based lawyer of FSFE says and concludes: "This shows how serious Microsoft takes this case, how much the Commission investigation means to them. At the same time they keep making billions of money by not changing the very same practices that earned them an antitrust case in the first place."

"We have to ask ourselves who is going to pay those billions", asks Piana and immediately gives the answer: "All of you, the customers, pay that money in higher fees and more monopolies. That is why we urge the Commission to keep the case up."

Greve summarises: "FSFE will not stop defending everyones freedom in our digital society, in addition we are not for sale. We have discovered we may be the only party that will see this case through to the end, standing by the side of the Commission. You can help us do that job by supporting our work and you can achieve something yourself by replacing the proprietary software on your computers today."

About the Free Software Foundation Europe:

The Free Software Foundation Europe (FSFE), founded 2001, is a charitable non-governmental organisation dedicated to all aspects of Free Software in Europe. Access to software determines who may participate in a digital society. The the Freedoms to use, copy, modify and redistribute software - as described in the Free Software definition - allow equal participation in the information age. Creating awareness for these issues, securing Free Software politically and legally, and giving people Freedom by supporting development of Free Software are central issues of the FSFE. Further information about FSFE's work can be found at http://fsfeurope.org, get active yourself at http://fsfeurope.org/contribute/.