Judge to rule against Microsoft in European case

That means that Microsoft will not only have to produce code for its competitors, but also to make a version of Windows without the Media Player it bundles with the OS.

The European Union also fined the Vole €497 million when it released its verdict in March this year.

Microsoft could still appeal against the ruling, but it's unlikely to do so, the newspaper said.

The Vole had hoped that the fact Microsoft settled with Novell and the Computer and Communications Industry Association would affect judge Bo Vesterdorf's verdict.

But that was a slim hope, because the ruling against Microsoft wasn't based just on the complaints of the firm's industry partners, but on the effect the software giant's practices had on the entire trade and computer network. µ

* MICROSOFT issued an official statement. It said it is reviewing the Court's decision. It claims the judge's ruling provides some hope for Microsoft. Some of its arguments were well founded. The code removal remedy is harmful to consumers, it believes, leading it to release a "degraded" version of its OS. It hasn't decided on the next steps it will take. The full statement is here, on the Microsoft site.

L'INQ
Wall St Journal subscription required