时事英语－英语新闻导读 2004.3.5

EU May Force Change in Microsoft Windows
欧盟可能强迫微软改变Windows 
  
Wed¹ Mar² 3, 2:03 PM ET
 By PAUL GEITNER, AP Business Writer

(中文导读)
微软可能面临比美国司法部反垄断制裁更严厉的处罚，因为欧盟预计将迫使这个软件业巨头为电脑制造商提供一套不集成任何多媒体程序的Windows系统，以便给竞争对手们更好的机会使其产品出现在用户的电脑桌面上。

BRUSSELS, Belgium - Going beyond Microsoft Corp.'s settlement of U.S. antitrust charges, the European Union (news - web sites) wants to force the software giant to offer computer makers³ a version of Windows without any multimedia⁴ program to give rival companies a better shot at getting their products on consumers' desktops⁵, sources said Wednesday.

Such an order — expected this month barring a last-minute settlement — would be sure to be instantly challenged in European courts by Microsoft. The company insists removing its Media Player program would compromise other parts of its flagship operating system.

Taking out Media Player also could undermine Microsoft's long-term strategy of keeping Windows on top by incorporating new functions, which it argues benefits consumers.

Rivals from Netscape to RealNetworks have repeatedly challenged the practice as unfair competition.

European Commission (news - web sites) spokeswoman Amelia Torres refused to comment on specific remedies being sought.

But, she said, "the draft decision contains clear remedies to the identified illegal conduct, remedies which will restore a competitive marketplace for consumers in Europe."

A Microsoft spokesman also declined to comment on details, repeating only the company is "working actively⁶ with the European Commission toward an amicable⁷ settlement of this case."

The EU has already made a preliminary finding that Microsoft violated EU competition law by bundling its multimedia software into Windows, and by failing to provide competitors in the server market with enough programming code to allow their products to operate as well with Windows as Microsoft's own.

To resolve the first abuse, the draft decision sent to national regulators for review last month would require Microsoft to offer computer manufacturers two versions of Windows: one with Media Player and one without, according to sources familiar with the case, speaking on condition of anonymity⁸.

The Commission, which conducted extensive market surveys a year ago, believes many manufacturers — and content providers — are uncomfortable relying solely⁹ on Microsoft and so rivals such as RealNetworks' RealOne player and Apple's QuickTime would get a better shot.

Microsoft could keep its Media Player in Windows products sold directly to European consumers, avoiding the difficulty of having to police what version is sold where.

Yet although the order would apply only to computers sold in Europe, Competition Commissioner¹⁰ Mario Monti sees the market as big enough to affect Microsoft's behavior worldwide.

Microsoft, based in Redmond, Wash., has said it is certain to appeal any ruling against it.

It has sought to interest the Commission in a solution where it includes rival players on a CD-ROM packaged with Windows that consumers could install if they wanted — a solution rejected by the Commission as placing too much burden on consumers.

It also argued the EU's concerns were addressed by the 2001 U.S. settlement.

Microsoft was ordered then to come up with a way to hide access to its software — such as the Internet Explorer Web browser¹¹, Windows Media Player and Windows Messenger — and allow users to choose non-Microsoft products.

As evidence that that is working, Microsoft points to an alliance announced in January between Hewlett-Packard Co. and Apple Computer Inc., under which HP will pre-install Apple's iTunes as the default music player with every HP computer beginning this summer.

It also says that going further would interfere¹² with the smooth operation of Windows as a whole.

During a closed-door hearing last fall in Brussels, company lawyers argued that the underlying¹³ software code for Media Player is also needed for things like the help function, screensaver and the "ping" a computer makes when an email arrives.

Yet contentions¹⁴ that nothing could be removed from XP may have been undermined by news last month that Microsoft was developing a cheaper, slimmer version of Windows for the Thai government's low-cost PC program.

Microsoft Thailand Managing Director Andrew McBean told the The Bangkok Post that the entry-level version of Windows XP (news - web sites) will contain less capabilities¹⁵ than regular editions.

1 wed   

v.娶，嫁，与…结婚

参考例句：

• The couple eventually wed after three year engagement.这对夫妇在订婚三年后终于结婚了。
• The prince was very determined to wed one of the king's daughters.王子下定决心要娶国王的其中一位女儿。

2 mar   

vt.破坏，毁坏，弄糟

参考例句：

• It was not the custom for elderly people to mar the picnics with their presence.大人们照例不参加这样的野餐以免扫兴。
• Such a marriage might mar your career.这样的婚姻说不定会毁了你的一生。

3 makers   

n.制造者，制造商（maker的复数形式）

参考例句：

• The makers of the product assured us that there had been no sacrifice of quality. 这一产品的制造商向我们保证说他们没有牺牲质量。
• The makers are about to launch out a new product. 制造商们马上要生产一种新产品。 来自《简明英汉词典》

4 multimedia   

adj.多种手段的，多媒体的；n.多媒体

参考例句：

• Multimedia is the combination of computer and video technology.多媒体是计算机和视频技术的结合。
• Adam raised the issue of multimedia applications and much useful discussion ensued.亚当提出了多媒体应用的问题，从而引发了许多有益的讨论。

5 desktops   

桌面( desktop的名词复数 )

参考例句：

• You switch between these virtual desktops by clicking on the one you want to make active. 只需单击你所希望激活的桌面就可以在这些虚拟桌面之间进行切换。 来自About Face 3交互设计精髓
• Laptops outsell desktops for the first time in the United States. 膝上型电脑首次在美国销售量胜过桌上型电脑。

6 actively   

adv.积极地，勤奋地

参考例句：

• During this period all the students were actively participating.在这节课中所有的学生都积极参加。
• We are actively intervening to settle a quarrel.我们正在积极调解争执。

7 amicable   

adj.和平的，友好的；友善的

参考例句：

• The two nations reached an amicable agreement.两国达成了一项友好协议。
• The two nations settled their quarrel in an amicable way.两国以和睦友好的方式解决了他们的争端。

8 anonymity   

n.the condition of being anonymous

参考例句：

• Names of people in the book were changed to preserve anonymity. 为了姓名保密，书中的人用的都是化名。
• Our company promises to preserve the anonymity of all its clients. 我们公司承诺不公开客户的姓名。

9 solely   

adv.仅仅，唯一地

参考例句：

• Success should not be measured solely by educational achievement.成功与否不应只用学业成绩来衡量。
• The town depends almost solely on the tourist trade.这座城市几乎完全靠旅游业维持。

10 commissioner   

n.（政府厅、局、处等部门）专员，长官，委员

参考例句：

• The commissioner has issued a warrant for her arrest.专员发出了对她的逮捕令。
• He was tapped for police commissioner.他被任命为警务处长。

11 browser   

n.浏览者

参考例句：

• View edits in a web browser.在浏览器中看编辑的效果。
• I think my browser has a list of shareware links.我想在浏览器中会有一系列的共享软件链接。

12 interfere   

v.(in)干涉，干预；(with)妨碍，打扰

参考例句：

• If we interfere, it may do more harm than good.如果我们干预的话，可能弊多利少。
• When others interfere in the affair,it always makes troubles. 别人一卷入这一事件，棘手的事情就来了。

13 underlying   

adj.在下面的，含蓄的，潜在的

参考例句：

• The underlying theme of the novel is very serious.小说隐含的主题是十分严肃的。
• This word has its underlying meaning.这个单词有它潜在的含义。

14 contentions   

n.竞争( contention的名词复数 )；争夺；争论；论点

参考例句：

• Direct tests on individual particles do not support these contentions. 对单个粒子所作的直接试验并不支持这些论点。 来自辞典例句
• His contentions cannot be laughed out of court. 对他的争辩不能一笑置之。 来自辞典例句

15 capabilities   

n.能力( capability的名词复数 )；可能；容量；[复数]潜在能力

参考例句：

• He was somewhat pompous and had a high opinion of his own capabilities. 他有点自大，自视甚高。 来自辞典例句
• Some programmers use tabs to break complex product capabilities into smaller chunks. 一些程序员认为，标签可以将复杂的功能分为每个窗格一组简单的功能。 来自About Face 3交互设计精髓