Microsoft, Google Agree To Stop Complaining To Regulators About Each Other (recode.net) 67
An anonymous reader shares an article on Recode: Microsoft and Google say they have recently reached an agreement under which they will drop pending regulatory complaints against one another across the globe. The two have also agreed that they will try to work among themselves to settle any future issues before running to regulators. "Microsoft has agreed to withdraw its regulatory complaints against Google, reflecting our changing legal priorities," a Microsoft representative said in a statement to Re/code. âoeWe will continue to focus on competing vigorously for business and for customers." Google, meanwhile, offered up a similar statement, affirming that it too will withdraw any regulatory complaints it has made. âoeOur companies compete vigorously, but we want to do so on the merits of our products, not in legal proceedings."Also from the report, "The timing is interesting, coming just as European regulators charge that Google is abusing its position in the Android market. However, both sides say the deal was in the works for some time."
What's this called? (Score:5, Insightful)
"Cartel"? Is that the word for it?
Re: (Score:2, Funny)
"Cartel"? Is that the word for it?
Apple.
Re:What's this called? (Score:4, Insightful)
Google is world monopolist in multiple multi billion dollar markets (Search, Android), as well as Microsoft (Windows, Office). Apple is no market leader anywhere. The only thing Apple does better than Google or Microsoft is to make wagonloads of money with the tiny share they have. Apple serves the most profitable minority, while Google and MS take over the rest.
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I thought they claimed 80% of the MP3 player market. They probably lost a lot of market share, but they were pretty big in the online music purchasing business too.
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Except the MP3 player market has all but evaporated in recent years, with the vast majority of people just using their smartphone for the task.
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Android is Google's loss leader. They make their money on bundling GMS. And you can't fault them for this because a ton of other companies have a similar business model and nobody thinks twice about it.
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The only thing Apple does better than Google or Microsoft is to make wagonloads of money with the tiny share they have. Apple serves the most profitable minority, while Google and MS take over the rest.
That's mainly due to the "oooh shiny" factor more than anything else. Hell if you want proof of that, look at Beats. The headphones it sells are provably inferior to literally everything else in their price range, yet it takes 64% of the high end headphone market. Why? Well, when it has a high price tag, people tend to think it's good.
Re:What's this called? (Score:4)
Don't upset the AppleCartel.
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"Cartel"? Is that the word for it?
Ah, solidarity, the last virtue of the gangster.
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Solidarity? Is that another word for government?
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What, you mean the government using its threat of force to extract "regulatory fees" from people and companies, and largely being used as a corporate attack dog by companies against each other, due to (again) due to its regulatory monopoly which creates false markets?
It absolutely fucking is.
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That's a bad thing! All they do is sue!
$TechCo agrees to drop all cases agains $TechInc and vice versa:
That's a bad thing! It's a "cartel".
Yet another "Damned if they do, damned if they don't" comment brought to you by Slashdot.
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"Cartel" is the right word - The USA form of government is best called "Cartel Socialism" where the government picks the winners and losers based on the amount of money harvested. The system has bi-partisan support - as the public has started noticing they are getting screwed - they are looking for outside candidates.
M$ and Google get large amounts of direct money from the government to compromise your devices.. They are not a lone - just some on the list of the fortune 100 Cartel members..
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"Cartel"? Is that the word for it?
It's called "collusion".
It's the kind of thing that the RICO Act was designed to extinguish.
Thank God. (Score:5, Insightful)
I never thought I would see this sort of thing in my lifetime.
Using your own strength and position to get what you want is healthy, respectable competition. Running to regulators is like a couple of little kids fighting in the back seat and is admitting you don't have what it takes to play on the market. Especially at the size of these two companies.
Re:Thank God. (Score:5, Insightful)
That's right!
You don't see rival mob families running to the police for help solving their conflicts. They're able to divide up the landscape into exclusive territories without government help.
Mob doesn't use police? (Score:1)
Mob doesn't use police?
Police corruption is a fundamental criminal mob activity. It is their version of regulatory capture.
Collusion? (Score:2, Interesting)
Does this sound like collusion to anyone else?
Re: (Score:3)
Does this sound like collusion to anyone else?
Collusion is where companies agree to screw over consumers in private. That word doesn't apply to stop bitching about each other in public.
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It sounds like we need to hire proactive regulators, as opposed to wait to start an investigation after companies who have a vested interest in cease-fires to complain about each other.
Priorities (Score:2)
Microsoft has agreed to withdraw its regulatory complaints against Google, reflecting our changing legal priorities
Seems like they finally realised who the real enemy is in this: the consumer.
Seriously though, if you don't want any trouble with regulatory complaints, maybe try not to break any regulations.
Re: (Score:1)
It's easy to say "don't break any regulations" but it is much more difficult in practice since regulations are bought and paid for by your competition (and yes, by your own company when you play at this level).
Corporate motto (Score:2)
One US company has, as its unoffical motto "The competition is [our] friend and the customer [our[ enemy"
Re: (Score:2)
http://techrights.org/2015/10/... [techrights.org]
Disclaimer: he might be a bit biased, but there is probably lots of truth as well.
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How is OOXML still "closed"? (Score:4, Insightful)
How are the Office Open XML (.docx, .xlsx, .pptx) formats still "closed proprietary monstrosities"? Are there still holes in the documentation published by Ecma and ISO? Or is Microsoft claiming that third-party implementations infringe its copyrights, patents, or trademarks?
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You make a good point about "transitional" mess. But I'm interested in what holes you found in Microsoft's patent pledge. Do these arguments [softwarefreedom.org] from eight years ago [slashdot.org] still apply? Or has Microsoft fixed them?
MOOXML, which was unnecessary when a perfectly good open format ODF already existed
Was ODF suitable to round-trip every single feature of the existing .doc, .xls, and .ppt formats? Or would it have required Microsoft to drop features on which at least some paying customers depend? For example, do compatibility options in Word and formulas and macros in Excel survive a round trip to ODF?
Microsoft fan-boism/shilling
I h
test (Score:2)
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Simple economics, kill the lawyers (Score:1)
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Found the transcript (Score:3)
Microsoft: Mom, Google just poked me!
Google: Did Not!
Microsoft: Did too!
Mom: Google, please stop touching Microsoft.
(Microsoft sticks its tongue out at Google. Then, a minute later puts its hand down on the seat and starts slowly moving it towards Google)
Google: MO-ommm, Microsoft has its hand on my seat!
Microsoft: MO-ommm, Microsoft has its hand on my seat!
Google: Stop repeating everything I say!
Microsoft: Stop repeating everything I say!
Google: Microsoft is an idiot!
Microsoft: Microsoft is an... (then punches Google)
Google: MOM! MICROSOFT HIT ME!
Microsoft: GOOGLE STARTED IT!
Mom: Both of you, knock it off! You two need to get along - we've got a long trip ahead.
Dad: YOU TWO KNOCK IT OFF RIGHT NOW OR I AM TURNING THIS CAR AROUND!
(Google sticks its tongue out at Microsoft)
It is collusion. (Score:2)
Collusion (Score:4, Interesting)
Gather round children, it's time old uncle Sherman played his favourite tune called Collusion.
Now when the young little cats get to hissin' n' scratching
You can bet all them rats are a hidin' and a quakin'
All the kittens that compete get a nice little treat
And the market is nice and free.
Buuuuuuuuuuut,
When the cats dun grow fat... and they can't scratch their back
And they get an old friend to help
Well we call that a scam what a horrible sham
And ol' sherman dun gets out his belt
Cause them rats get to play all the night and all day
And they dun shit on all of our pay.
With a whip and whap I take care o' all that
And them cats get to lose a few pounds.
Now children, you might remember when your kitten was a darling little cute thing and it was full of spit and fire trying to make the world a better place. But times change and kittens grow into cats. And cats get fat with power and wealth. And then it's time to take them out back teach them some proper manners.
Personally, I thought it would take longer. I gave Google until the time that the founders stepped down. In retrospect, it was awfully nice of them to have a name-change to indicate the moment when they decided to grow goatees and give into the bean counters and business suits.
Bend Over Google (Score:2)
Remember, this is not yet a week since Microsoft & Google announced a "no complaint" to regulators agreement:
https://tech.slashdot.org/story/16/04/22/1421201/microsoft-google-agree-to-stop-complaining-to-regulators-about-each-other [slashdot.org]
In classic Microsoft fashion, they forge an agreement with someone and then immediately screw them over in the most mean-spirited, legalistic way possible. Google really should have known better on this one.