EC checks MS compliance

Asks IT industry for report card...

By John Oates • Get more from this author

Posted in Operating Systems, 28th February 2005 12:35 GMT

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The European Commission is collecting views from the IT industry on whether or not Microsoft is complying with the anti-trust penalties imposed on it last year.

Last March the software giant was ordered to pay a €497m fine, provide an alternative version of Windows without the Media Player and open up access to its APIs - which developers need to make software which works properly with Windows.

Microsoft is appealing the decision and will be back in court in October or November. The firm insists it is already complying with the EC's punishment.

A spokesman told the New York Times: "The protocols are available today, as is the new version of Windows, which is now available to PC makers."

But Windows without Microsoft's Media Player is not available to anyone but OEMs because of disagreement over the name. Part of the agreement was that the software should not be more expensive, or have less features, than full fat Windows.

Microsoft's decision to call the unbundled software Windows Reduced Media is seen by the EC as breaching this agreement. Microsoft is now working with the Commission to find a new name. The unbundled product will include a media player from a rival firm such as Real Media or Apple.®