To build some goodwill among both Europe and companies, Microsoft commissioned a study to examine the economic impact of Vista. IDC then announced that Vista would create 100,000 new jobs in Europe next year. In addition, economic activity would receive an injection of no less than USD 40 billion. However, IDC also reports that any delay in its client’s operating system could cut the number of jobs created in half. This decrease is attributed by researcher Marcel Warmardan to the so-called ‘bounce effect’, but is not explained further.
A Microsoft spokesperson told Reuters again that Windows Vista will be technically ready for the consumer market in January, but that it has again asked the European Commission for clarification about any problems that Europe expects. The company would not yet have received a concrete message from Europe, despite the EC stating that it is ready to provide Microsoft with direction. The statements from Redmond seem to indicate that the company will wash its hands if Vista is still delayed for the European market. The European Commission obviously disagrees and stated that Microsoft, as a ‘near monopolist’, is itself responsible for complying with antitrust legislation.