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Free Software Foundation Europe

Say no to locked-down devices that limit our freedom to install apps andswitch operating systems. Say yes to device neutrality, which ensures thatwe control our own hardware! Your device, your choice! Support our demandfor the right to install any software on our devices.

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Our Work

FSFE and the antitrust case against Microsoft

Working with the Samba developers, FSFE's role was toensure that Free Software developers would not beprevented from using information published as a resultof the European Commission's antitrust case againstMicrosoft. See also:Backgrounddetails,Timelineof the case.

Representation of developer's interest

FSFE played two key roles in this case. First, we represented theinterests of Free Software developers. E.g. in our official role asIntervener, we pushed the European Commission to reject any royaltyrequirements that would be incompatible with Free Software. We alsoargued constantly for the publication of good quality technicaldocumentation and against lock-out of Free Software based on arbitrarymanipulations of formats and standards.

Incorruptible

Second, FSFE was a public interest organisation who couldn't be boughtoff. The case began with many companies giving testimony of Microsoft'sbreaches of antitrust regulation, but one-by-one these companies madedeals with Microsoft and withdrew from the case. FSFE and SIIA were theonly two organisations that pursued this case from start to finish. Wewere later joined by ECIS, who did extraordinary work, but there weremoments when it got lonely for the Commission.

Getting interoperability information

At the heart of this case was that the European Commission would requireMicrosoft to publish interoperability information. Comparable todictionaries and grammar books for human languages, this type ofinformation is necessary for non-Microsoft software, such as Sambarunning on GNU/Linux, to communicate and function fully within existingclient-server Microsoft networks.

Previously, the Samba developers had to figure this information out byprotocol analysis only. This information that Microsoft had was notsecret because it was valuable. It was valuable only because it wassecret.

Investigation case won every ruling

Thanks also to the persistent work by Carlo Piana, Andrew Tridgell,Jeremy Allison, Volker Lendecke, Georg Greve and other people acting onFSFE and Samba's behalf, the investigation case won every ruling - Fromthe European Commission in Brussels to the European Court of Justice inLuxembourg.

Interoperable applications now possible

Information has now been published and is being used by the developersof Samba and many other projects to improve network interoperabilityfor Free Software applications. This facilitates migration to FreeSoftware. The court rulings have also set important precedentsregarding unacceptable business practices.

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