Microsoft hands over new version of technical documents

Created by Stuart Yeates (University of Oxford) on November 23, 2006

In March 2004 Microsoft was told by the EU competition watchdog to turn over documentation of the interfaces to various parts of Windows, to allow competitors to compete in particular markets in which Microsoft was found to be acting illegally. Microsoft released the documents in July 2006, but they were found lacking. After this new "technical review and edits" they'll hopefully be more useful.

The EC said: "The commission will decide in due course whether or not Microsoft is in compliance with the obligation to provide complete and accurate technical documentation taking into account comments from the potential licensees and advice from the trustee."

Personally I feel for Microsoft on this one, since I strongly suspect that it didn't have the "complete and accurate technical documentation:" no development house I've ever met ever has. Writing technical documentation is hard, writing "complete and accurate technical documentation" very close to impossible. Given the way the EC works, however, I'm sure that it discussed several options with Microsoft before imposing the documentation requirement, which probably means that Microsoft thought that this was the option they could drag their heels most on.

None of that, of course, helps Microsoft's competitors, neither the open source ones nor the proprietary ones.

cheers, stuart

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		Microsoft hands over new version of technical documents Created by Stuart Yeates (University of Oxford) on November 23, 2006 In March 2004 Microsoft was told by the EU competition watchdog to turn over documentation of the interfaces to various parts of Windows, to allow competitors to compete in particular markets in which Microsoft was found to be acting illegally. Microsoft released the documents in July 2006, but they were found lacking. After this new "technical review and edits" they'll hopefully be more useful. The EC said: "The commission will decide in due course whether or not Microsoft is in compliance with the obligation to provide complete and accurate technical documentation taking into account comments from the potential licensees and advice from the trustee." Personally I feel for Microsoft on this one, since I strongly suspect that it didn't have the "complete and accurate technical documentation:" no development house I've ever met ever has. Writing technical documentation is hard, writing "complete and accurate technical documentation" very close to impossible. Given the way the EC works, however, I'm sure that it discussed several options with Microsoft before imposing the documentation requirement, which probably means that Microsoft thought that this was the option they could drag their heels most on. None of that, of course, helps Microsoft's competitors, neither the open source ones nor the proprietary ones. cheers, stuart 6708 \| EC \| ec commission \| technical documentation \| watchdog \| Windows Stuart's blog Login or register to post comments 3306 reads
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