Microsoft just acquired the dubious distinction of being a formally indicted monopolist across the (commercially) two most important continents on planet Earth.

After being indicted for similar offences in its homeland (the USA) earlier, the European Union just slammed Microsoft for being an “abusive monopolist”, and a monster penalty of more than $600 million.

While the financial penalty won’t hurt MS (heck, it has more than $50,000,000,000 in cash in the bank!), the fact that commercial sanctions against the company will prevail in Europe and the USA, and that this will not be missed by the remaining parts of the world, will make it more and more difficult for MS to use its “abusive monopolistic behaviour”.

MS has already said that it will appeal, and this case will probably drag on for years, but that will not wipe away the indictment on both continents.

More information here.

That’s two continents down. Australia will probably be next – they are already busy as beavers ridding themselves of another imperial rule.

Asia will be more difficult unless cross-border organisations like SAARC get involved, which is extremely unlikely.

But Asia is also the one place on earth where MS is already being punished – with more and more governments and commercial outfits choosing to use Linux and Open Source solutions rather than the outrageously expensive and insecure wares that MS offers.

And they call *us* the Third World?