Global Dispatches

Computerworld -

Microsoft Hit With Another Big Fine

BRUSSELS -- The European Commission last week hit Microsoft Corp. with a fine of €899 million ($1.4 billion U.S.) for what it called a continued failure to honor the provisions of a 2004 antitrust ruling.

EC Competition Commissioner Neelie Kroes said Microsoft was fined again "for a clear disregard of its legal obligations." She called the move "a reasonable response to unreasonable actions."

Europe's top competition authority had already fined the company €777.5 million ($1.2 billion) -- €497 million ($750 million) in the 2004 ruling, plus an additional €280.5 million ($423 million) for noncompliance.

Microsoft said it is reviewing the action and that the latest fines "are about the past issues that have been resolved." -- Paul Meller and Peter Sayer, IDG News Service

Wipro Plans Big China Expansion

SHANGHAI -- Wipro Ltd. plans to increase its workforce in China to 2,000 over two years, Chief Operating Officer A.L. Rao said last week.

The Bangalore, India-based company currently has about 200 workers in its Shanghai-based Chinese operation.

"We would like to see China as another resource for talent and to set up development centers there and maybe go after Chinese clients," Rao said during a press conference at the Foreign Correspondents' Club of Japan in Tokyo.

Most of the company's current business in China is with non-Chinese companies with operations in the country. -- Martyn Williams, IDG News Service

Briefly Noted

The Australian Department of Defence has awarded Unisys Corp.'s Australian subsidiary a contract worth $240 million Australian ($225 million U.S.) to support servers, security systems and more than 100,000 desktop systems spread across 460 locations around the country. -- Sandra Rossi, Computerworld Australia

Read more about government in Computerworld's Government Knowledge Center.