Microsoft complies to EU demands

Microsoft has finally thrown in the towel in the fight against the European Union's antitrust demands. Having already paid the £346 million fine and released Windows XP N, a copy of Windows XP that shipped without Windows Media Player, the software giant had difficulty complying with the licensing demands that were imposed upon it.

After facing a £2 million a day fine for not complying though, Microsoft has finally come to an agreement with the European Commission.

Microsoft has developed two licensing models that the EC has finally agreed with. The first model will hold a £7,000 royalty rate and give companies access to Windows Server interoperability information without giving a license for patents that Microsoft deems unnecessary.

The second will give companies access to those patents not covered in the first in exchange for 0.4 percent of the product revenue. Originally, Microsoft wanted 5.95 percent but the EC disagreed with that.

"These measures will ensure that Microsoft's competitors in the work group server market, including those following the open-source business model, will have access to the interoperability information on reasonable terms which will in turn lead to more competition and innovation in this market," the European Commission said in a statement.

The EC will continue monitoring Microsoft's compliance with the antitrust findings but for now, considers the company to be in full compliance.

Do you view Microsoft as the big bad bully that should be brought to its knees or were the demands put forth by the EC ridiculous? Leave your thoughts over in the forums.