Microsoft coughs up some change after allegedly selling software to no-no companies

Microsoft will pay more than $3.3 million to settle allegations it busted US sanctions by selling software and services to blacklisted companies and individuals in Russia, Iran, and other countries. (That figure is about 25 minutes of quarterly profit for Microsoft; it banked $17.4 billion in net income in just the final three …

[martinusher]

Problems arose....

.....because the rather simplistic sanctions model is OK for a corner grocery store's customer list but definitely doesn't work in a large multinational organization.

All this sanctioning has consequences. In another news item today it was reported that while Airbus was opening another assembly line in China Boeing's sales have dropped to zero. That's right. Nada. Nothing. Zero. Now we can all live with the delusion that 'they' can't live without us but the reality is that the longer we play these games the worse it is going to get for the companies. Its not just the lost sales and increased cost of doing business, its sending a message that doing business at all is just not a good idea. Since the bulk of Windows/Office features are just not used by most customers (in my albeit rather limited experience) then all you're doing is giving the customer base a reason to switch. And once enough have done so......

[Anonymous Coward]

Re: Problems arose....

"doesn't work in a large multinational organization"

.... even less when they make millions in profits by making "mistakes" like that.

[ChoHag]

> Identity problems

With the petabytes of telemetry they gather, Microsoft don't know who their customers are?

[Strahd Ivarius]

it is the confirmation that the data is properly anonymized...

[Anonymous Coward]

Ho there citizen, you're not a Microsoft customer? That's very suspicious...

[NoneSuch]

Another, "we paid out millions in fines, but didn't actually admit doing anything wrong" situation.

If corporations are now considered as people, they should be subject to actual criminal charges.

https://www.npr.org/2014/07/28/335288388/when-did-companies-become-people-excavating-the-legal-evolution

[Anonymous Coward]

Corporate death penalty?

Would seem appropriate for treason

[Anonymous Coward]

So MS paid "$3.3 million" from $12M of sales of 'software and services', i.e. stuff where additional cost to sell one more is exactly zero.

So they made $8.7 million profit for those sales. If anyone believes that's 'a mistake" ....I've a bridge to sell to them.

[mevets]

The west's secret weapon.

By more widely distributing MicroSoft products, we can accelerate the downfall of regimes like Iran and Russia. MicroSoft deserves a commendation for their efforts, not a fine.

[GruntyMcPugh]

Re: The west's secret weapon.

Given previous exploits like 'Eternal Blue', you'd possibly think we had a vested interest in getting software and operating systems the NSA can stroll around into use in the 'banned' countries.

[Anonymous Coward]

Trading with the enemy

It’s a bit of a common thing American companies do, it’s not the first time is it.

“I Like Money” - Frito Pendejo

[s. pam]

one presumes the BSOD

will be served on the miscreants as at any other company immediate dismissal would have happened!

[Ideasource]

Let the warmongers kill each other off.

Just don't drag the rest of the world into it.

If I had the power to do so I would take everyone who wants to fight/control and put them in a gladiator arena with no escape so that everyone else can continue without them.

I would put myself in the arena as well.

The only winners in any conflict are those who managed to stay far removed.

Let those that who call for war actions (sanctions are a form of warfare that weaponize economics) ,be the ones to suffer.

Leave the citizens out of it.

This is a fight between the government elite. Let them fail on their own for any support fuels the conflict , multiplying and spreading the collective misery.