EU concerned over too much Vista security?

I just read this in TechDirt. Curious.

In principle Microsoft should not lock users into buying more software from Microsoft by making Vista unamenable to offerings from third parties. However, if Microsoft wishes to build features into Vista (and thus "give them away" with the OS), they can do whatever they want. That's why today all browsers are free. Microsoft ensured that no company could make money selling a web browser by giving away their own. It's also worth noting that other browsers do still work with the various Microsoft OSes, as well.

I have no sympathy for any third party security company (such as Symantec, CA, or TrendMicro) that might lose revenue because users won't/might not need their products on Vista. That situation is only an impetus for those companies to innovate. If they can't innovate, then they're going to fade away and die. So what.

I also don't worry about software Microsoft might offer (i.e., sell) in addition to the basic Vista OS that competes with third parties, either, as long as Microsoft doesn't make Vista so "secure" as to only permit their product to operate. This type of "security" is simply a hidden cost of the OS, not unlike how every telco locks users into using only their voice mail, etc. You could argue that voice mail is not a necessity and because it's optional the situation is not the same, but I would disagree. You don't have to buy antivirus software. If you never went online or installed software from unknown/unsafe sources, you would not need it.

The EU is barking up the wrong tree. What they're talking about is not security, it's anti-competitive behavior, and they should be careful to label it as such. There's no way Microsoft should release an inherently less secure operating system, no matter what governmental bodies complain about it. Governments should not dictate what is "security", and what is not. The developers at Microsoft are experts whose reputations rest on making the OS as good as it can be. Politicians are only interested in getting their names in the paper. So, in other words, if Microsoft accedes to the EU and the OS is more easily hacked, who are you going to blame? Microsoft. That, and the EU still gets to hammer on them for not making the thing secure enough. It's all pure no-win situation for Microsoft, but I still would rather they closed all the security holes, and let the market decide.