EU Could Force Microsoft to Unbundle Windows Media Player

[Kent Pribbernow]

<div class='os_post_top_link'><a href='http://www.forbes.com/business/2004/03/01/0301mediaplayerpinnacor_ii.html?partner=macintouch' target='_blank'>http://www.forbes.com/business/2004/03/01/0301mediaplayerpinnacor_ii.html?partner=macintouch</a><br /><br /></div>"If Microsoft cannot settle an antitrust case brought by European Union regulators, the company may be ordered to remove Windows Media Player as an integrated feature of the dominant Windows operating system, at least for personal computers sold in Europe.<br /><br />The European Commission also could order Microsoft to include rival media players with Windows to make those products as easy for users to access as Microsoft's own music and video player."<br /><br />Perhaps I'm wrong, but in my opinion such a ruling would have little overall effect on Microsoft's success in the Media space. Windows Media has already established itself as the dominant format for PC audio and video. WMA is already quickly becoming <i>the</i> standard for online music stores, outside of Apple's ITMS which is more popular. The European Union isn't going to change this fact. If MS is ordered to remove this software from Windows, consumers will simply download it via Windows Update. And God help anyone who finds RealOne player installed on their new PC. Real Networks should be sued for criminal negligence. :roll: <br /><br /><img src="http://www.digitalmediathoughts.com/images/wmt-title.jpg" />

[Lee Yuan Sheng]

While I don't really like Microsoft's tactics, and their software in general, I like RealPlayer and Realone even less. I'll stick to Windows Media Player and WinAmp for my music and video needs, thank you very much.

[Suhit Gupta]

While I don't really like Microsoft's tactics, and their software in general, I like RealPlayer and Realone even less. I'll stick to Windows Media Player and WinAmp for my music and video needs, thank you very much.
I agree that Real's software really sucks. What is sad is that at one time it used to be a really good piece of work. So yeah, Windows Media Player will continue to do will IMO regardless of the EU's decision.

BTW, what Microsoft software do you not like in general?

Suhit

[Janak Parekh]

What is sad is that at one time it used to be a really good piece of work.
A very long time ago. I'd guess RealPlayer 4 was around the "peak".

So yeah, Windows Media Player will continue to do will IMO regardless of the EU's decision.
Actually, I disagree. I think a lot of people use WMP because it's bundled more than anything else, and Winamp's popularity downturn coincided somewhat with the improvements MS made in WMP (starting with v7 in particular). Having that out-of-the-box is a big boost to WMA adoption.

--janak

[Suhit Gupta]

Actually, I disagree. I think a lot of people use WMP because it's bundled more than anything else, and Winamp's popularity downturn coincided somewhat with the improvements MS made in WMP (starting with v7 in particular). Having that out-of-the-box is a big boost to WMA adoption.
Although, now that it is known by most of the computer using population, I don't really believe that a potential EU decision to decouple the application from the OS will affect its "popularity".

Suhit

[Janak Parekh]

Although, now that it is known by most of the computer using population, I don't really believe that a potential EU decision to decouple the application from the OS will affect its "popularity".
Maybe. Imagine an HP machine bundled with iTunes and no WMP though. ;) In fact, I only really use WMP for some web-based movie playback as it is.

--janak

[Suhit Gupta]

Maybe. Imagine an HP machine bundled with iTunes and no WMP though. ;) In fact, I only really use WMP for some web-based movie playback as it is.
My first instinct was to write "iTunes? Please... it can only play mp3s and their silly proprietary aac format". But then I realized that that is something that WMP does :). So I guess I really don't have a solid argument. I guess the only thing I can say is that WMA is popular enough now that WMP will be needed. Plus, I don't think WMP is that evil a program and especially now, with competition, I think it will only get better (or at least so I hope).

Suhit

[Andy Manea]

The EU has been after MS for a while now. This (http://www.eweek.com/article2/0,1759,1529139,00.asp) is an interesting article:

BRUSSELS, Belgium (AP)—European Union regulators have rejected as insufficient Microsoft Corp.'s latest offer to settle long-running antitrust charges but are continuing talks, sources familiar with the discussions said Tuesday.

With a decision from the EU due this spring, the U.S. software giant has been scrambling to avert what could be a far-reaching order to change the way it packages its dominant Windows desktop operating system and reveal more of its underlying code to rival manufacturers.
...

WMP is only part of the problem. BTW, I like it, too.

[Lee Yuan Sheng]

Lots! Windows for one. =P Outlook as well. Hmm.. much of Office, especially Word, and except Excel, which isn't too bad. Internet Explorer too, never liked it much.

WMP is ok, but I don't like proprietary formats, so I've stayed away from WMA and WMV as much as I can.

[Janak Parekh]

I guess the only thing I can say is that WMA is popular enough now that WMP will be needed.
This is speculation, though. For instance, I don't use WMA at all. I do watch a little ASF/WMV (i.e., movie trailers), but that's really it. I posit most people actually use MP3 far more than they use WMA, Ogg, or AAC, from the limited experience I've had while consulting.

Plus, I don't think WMP is that evil a program and especially now, with competition, I think it will only get better (or at least so I hope).
I never said WMP is evil. As for getting better, MS will continue to improve it as long as they have competition.

--janak

[dmeineck]

"silly propietary aac format" you mean the one developed by dolby laboratories, which in my opinion sounds much better than wma?

[Suhit Gupta]

It can be the best sounding music for all I care, but what is the point if only one (expensive) piece of hardware and one piece of software can play it?!?

Suhit

[dmeineck]

Well all more advanced Nokia phones which play music can play AAC files, they were doing so from a couple of years ago, and there is more to aac music playback than itunes, such as foobar2000, j river media centre. However itunes is the most significant program to play them, but that's only because ms has a monopoly on media player, which wont play AAC due to microsoft gaining royalties on the WMA format.

[Andy Manea]

Gotta agree with dmeineck, my Nokia N-gage can play AAC files. Never tried it out, though, as I don't have any such files.

[Andy Manea]

...
Within 120 days Microsoft is required "to disclose complete and accurate interface documentation which would allow non-Microsoft work group servers to achieve full interoperability with Windows PCs and servers. This will enable rival vendors to develop products that can compete on a level playing field in the work group server operating system market. The disclosed information will have to be updated each time Microsoft brings to the market new versions of its relevant products." This is at least in theory a pretty absolute requirement; Microsoft has to publish whatever it takes in order for rival vendors' servers "to achieve full interoperability with Windows PCs and servers, and it must provide updates where necessary.

This is clearly wider-ranging than simply being required to license relevant technology and/or disclosing what Microsoft says might be adequate information. There is clearly plenty of scope for argument about what is and is not sufficient and what does and does not work, and there are clear questions about how it will be policed. But it seems likely that the Commission will be receptive to representations from, say, Sun and Samba on this front.

The Commission at the moment has not made it clear to whom this disclosure should be made, whether to named competitors or to the world in general. It does however concede that if "any of this interface information might be protected by intellectual property in the European Economic Area, Microsoft would be entitled to reasonable remuneration." So more scope for argument there. It specifically states that the disclosure order does not cover Windows source code. This will presumably continue to be obtainable from the usual warez sites.

The insistence that Microsoft offer a version of Windows free of Media Player within 90 days means that PC manufacturers will have an option of bundling alternatives. This, the Commission hopefully observes, means that "the configuration of such bundles will reflect what consumers want, and not what Microsoft imposes." Gartner takes the view that this will have little impact, and in the near term it's probably right.

As the Commission says: "Available data already show a clear trend in favour of WMP and Windows Media technology. Absent intervention from the Commission, the tying of WMP with Windows is likely to make the market "tip" definitively in Microsoft's favour. This would allow Microsoft to control related markets in the digital media sector, such as encoding technology, software for broadcasting of music over the Internet and digital rights management etc."

At the moment, the simple existence of an alternative is unlikely to be enough to reverse this "clear trend." The interesting part of the remedy therefore has to be the requirement to "refrain from using any commercial, technological or contractual terms that would have the effect of rendering the unbundled version of Windows less attractive or performing."

If aggressively policed this could have the effect of taking the teeth out of any Microsoft efforts to use WMP as leverage via special discounts, 'joint marketing' deals and technological speed-bumps. This is certainly the Commission's intent; it says: "More generally, the Commission is concerned that Microsoft's tying of WMP is an example of a more general business model which, given Microsoft's virtual monopoly in PC operating systems, deters innovation and reduces consumer choice in any technologies which Microsoft could conceivably take interest in and tie with Windows in the future."

LINK (http://www.theregister.co.uk/content/4/36496.html)

[Janak Parekh]

Well all more advanced Nokia phones which play music can play AAC files, they were doing so from a couple of years ago, and there is more to aac music playback than itunes, such as foobar2000, j river media centre. However itunes is the most significant program to play them, but that's only because ms has a monopoly on media player, which wont play AAC due to microsoft gaining royalties on the WMA format.
Actually, IMHO, the problem is not AAC; it's a good standard (royalties might be an issue, but let's not worry about that for now). The problem is that Apple is using a proprietary DRM layer on top (their FairPlay technology). It happens to be very user-friendly, but limited in device support. :(

--janak