[CurtHagenlocher]

That's about $50 per user believed to have been affected by the error.

[Zirro]

It's meant to punish Microsoft for failing to comply with the ruling, rather than compensate other browser-makers for the users potentially lost.

[deelowe]

Isn't this the primary difference between civil and criminal law? Additionally, isn't this a civil case? It would seem to me that the entire point of the trail would be to deal with the lost compensation/opportunity cost issue.

[netrus]

It's a high fine, but on the other hand, EU did not ask for much. I am sure MS will spend some more energy on implementing court orders in future.

[meaty]

I understand the premise of the fine, but how is this supposed to help the consumers and businesses who now have to foot the $50 bill per seat?

[netrus]

If MS raises its prices, it will weaken their market position - that's the punishment for their malbehavior.

[robin_reala]

By that logic no company should ever be fined as it hurts their users.

[devcpp]

They probably made much more out of their previous monopoly anyway.