Useful resume of the Microsoft case

“In November, the Justice Department arrived at a consent decree with Microsoft.

Under the settlement, Microsoft agreed to enable computer makers to remove the desktop icons to several of the software programs that it includes in Windows, and to disclose more information to rival developers so that its own programs would not benefit from a superior interaction with the operating system. Nine states who originally joined the Justice Department’s lawsuit against Microsoft also signed on to the settlement.

But nine other states, led by California and Iowa, argue that the settlement is ineffective. They want Judge Kollar-Kotelly to order Microsoft to sell a stripped-down version of Windows that would allow computer makers actually to substitute rival programs for those produced by Microsoft, rather than simply removing the icons.

They are also pushing for broader disclosure provisions, without the exceptions included in the proposed settlement, to ensure that Microsoft shares information about Windows with rivals.

Other crucial provisions in the states’ proposal include forcing Microsoft to give away the source code for its Internet Explorer browser, and to auction its popular Office software to developers who could create versions for the Linux operating system.” [ more…]