EU's antitrust chief still undecided on Microsoft compliance

BRUSSELS, Belgium (AP) - European Union antitrust chief Neelie Kroes said Tuesday her office was still determining whether Microsoft Corp. was complying with last year's landmark EU ruling against it.

The ruling requires the company to offer an alternative version of its Windows operating system for sale without its video and music Media Player application. Microsoft also has to make technical information available to allow rivals to improve the interoperability of their products with the Windows server.

Analysis
Microsoft just cannot get away from the bureaucrats of the EU. "Reduced Media Edition" is a dumb idea, no matter what the EU forces Microsoft to call the product. On source code, Microsoft is again in a no-win battle over what are the appropriate terms for a source license.

I have some sympathy for Microsoft, a convicted monopolist. I feel the pain (in the neck) the legal team must be going through.

Peter S. Kastner