Some flunky lacking an adequate grasp of Microsoft's deep commitment to fair business practices innocently wrote an offensive license forbidding non-MS media formats on portable devices compatible with Windows media, the company explained to miffed anti-trust judge Colleen Kollar-Kotelly during a status hearing Tuesday.

Microsoft had attempted to bully those portable music device makers hoping to cash in on iPod/iTunes popularity into using Windows Media Player software exclusively, or not at all, in their designs. This is a clear violation of the wrist-slapping that Judge CKK had administered at the conclusion of the company's anti-trust lawsuit, which she oversaw.

Microsoft legal beagle Rick Rule explained that a "lower-level business person," ignorant of the anti-trust settlement's provisions, had blundered. And this after at least ten days' time to concoct a plausible excuse.

In spite of this preposterous explanation, the government has declined to pursue the matter, on the basis of no-harm-no-foul. Since the company backed down from its iron-fisted license, and the rule of law has been restored, there's no reason for anyone to give this unfortunate incident a second thought. ®

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