PCs sold without Microsoft's operating system would improve competition, says think tank

Computers in the European Union should be sold without a bundled operating system in the interests of public choice, according to a Brussels think tank.

The bundling of Microsoft Windows with PCs is hampering competition because cheaper competitors cannot steal market share, says the Globalisation Institute's submission to the European Commission.

Windows' dominant position both has slowed technical improvements and prevented new alternatives entering from the marketplace. In a competitive market, there would be a broad compatibility between different suppliers' products because suppliers would need their products to interact with rivals'.

Microsoft has enjoyed monopolistic power in the operating system market for two decades, said Globalisation Institute president Alex Singleton.

“We are calling for the Commission to liberalise the market and let consumers benefit from cheaper prices, greater competition and more innovation,” he said.

The think tank's submission comes a week after European Competition Commissioner Neelie Kroes called for “a significant drop in market share” for Windows.

And on earlier this month, the Commission won a ruling supporting its antitrust action against Microsoft in the European Court.