Microsoft Under EU Spotlight, Again

The Redmond Company just can't get a break on European territory. In the same week when Microsoft faces new antitrust penalties from EU regulators, a new complaint has emerged against the US software giant. This time around at the basis of the petition are the consumers themselves. In this context Microsoft is accused of abusing its market position in order to force computer vendors to preinstall the Windows operating systems on the machines prior to their sale offering the consumers not choice.

European Union regulators will take under close analysis the complaint that users are forced to purchase PCs preloaded with Windows, and therefore the Redmond Company's license for the OS, even if they have expressed the option to use open source software.

The complainants have brought forward to the European Commissions attention the fact that computer retailers do not provide the option of an alternative OS, excluding Linux altogether. "We received the complaint, and we're studying it," said Jonathan Todd, a commission spokesman.

Microsoft representatives have declined to comment upon the complaints they are facing in Europe up to this time. The Redmond Company has already been deemed guilty of not complying with an EU antitrust decision from 2004 just at the beginning of the week. On July 12th the amount of the fines will be announced, and the EU regulators have stated repeatedly that financial penalties are inevitable. The new complaint against Microsoft has come to kick the company when it's down, and could result in a potential very expensive class action suit.