Vista complaints renewed
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SCOTT JAGOW: Tonight at midnight, you’ll finally be able to buy Windows Vista. Some stores will stay open late in case you just can’t wait to get your hands on the operating system. We’re not expecting any shootings or stampedes like we had with the PlayStation 3, but Vista is long-awaited by some. And Microsoft’s competition is making noise about it. Here’s Lisa Napoli:
LISA NAPOLI: Lots of people like to pick on the mighty Bill Gates. Now a group of rivals like IBM and Sun are reviving their gripes about Vista.
They’re saying the new system could give Microsoft dominance on the Internet, and that would violate the 2004 European Union decision ordering Microsoft to change its anticompetitive practices.
Liz Montalbano of the IDG news service explains.
LIZ MONTALBANO: The Europeans once again are upset by this because they’ve just seen too many companies not be able to compete because of Microsoft’s actions.
Montalbano says there’s a reason you don’t see this kind of Microsoft backlash in the United States.
MONTALBANO: They’re such a de-facto standard that even when people cry out against them, they’re so woven into the fabric of our economy.
The House of Gates is still waiting for a ruling on its challenge to the EU decision, but it has tweaked Vista’s search and security features just to show good faith.
In Los Angeles, I’m Lisa Napoli for Marketplace.
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