Adobe is apparently thinking of suing Microsoft for including a ‘Save as PDF’ feature in Vista, the new version of Windows due for release next month. [Adobe boss won't rule out suing over Vista, The Register] It comes on the heels of year in which companies like Symantec have come sobbing to competition authorities because Microsoft has built antivirus and security software into Vista. And let’s not forget that only a few years ago Microsoft was prosecuted (“successfully”) on both sides of the Atlantic for breaching competition rules by bundling functionality into Windows that competed with established third party software (e.g. the web browser [United States vs Microsoft, Wikipedia], and media player [European Union Microsoft antitrust case, Wikpedia]).
Supposedly the reason behind this is that because whilst it is not illegal to form a monopoly, once you have dominance in a market you must not abuse that position to create a monopoly in another market. That’s fair enough, actually. The problem is when geeks get to define the market in unfairly narrow terms.
Let’s face it to the average user a personal computer system is a tool. They don’t, in general, care what particular bits of software or hardware are in it. They are interested in the complete package and what it can or can’t do for them. Let’s take the motorcar industry as an analogy. Let’s say Ford had a dominant position in the market. Would we then prosecute the company for using that position to then establish dominance in the market for car light bulbs or stereos? Of course not! To the average user its just part of the car. It’s part of the experience. So, the bundling of a web browser, disk compression or any other feature is just part of the personal computing experience that consumers seek to buy.
No-one has ever prosecuted Apple or assorted Linux/Unix suppliers for bundling their preferred browser into their operating systems. My Macintosh has had “Save as PDF” functionality built-in for years. It’s something I really value. Why shouldn’t Microsoft be allowed to include that too? Or are we so jealous of those that are commercially successful that we have to find what way we can to cripple their innovation?
All this talk of unfair competition is poppy cock. Microsoft is in the software business and should be allowed to include whatever functionality it wants within its software. Only geeks care about the boundary between an operating system, a web browser and a PDF creator.
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There is conjecture that MS wanted to add the PDF capability into Vista in order to avoid Antitrust suits in bundling its own “XML Paper Specification”, since that would preclude charges of taking advantage of market dominance. Adobe probably felt that this would then lead to MS pushing XPS, and eventually toppling PDF, quite likely, depending on how each was made to function.
Might be an interesting angle, and I wouldn’t put it beyond MS!
Link: http://news.zdnet.com/2100-3513-6079320.html
Note where they said they’ve been forced to remove both.
What on earth is the problem with Microsoft creating their own open document specfication? Microsoft Office documents are already a de facto standard, adopted by the market. An open specification for Office documents, enabling other software publishers to write compatible software, would be no bad thing for consumer choice. If it topples PDF, so be it. PDF is clearly not good enough given that it has failed to supercede MS Office formats for everyday work. Consumers should not have to be forced to download a plugin. If there is consumer demand MS should be able to bundle the software.
No problem all. But these are the downsides of commercial business. Can’t blame Adobe, or MS; it’s what they’re programmed to do.
No, I was blaming legislators and competition authorities…