Rivals Say Microsoft Is Reneging on Antitrust Deal
Microsoft Corp. isn’t living up to its agreement with the federal government to allow Windows users to remove access to the company’s programs and choose competitors’ products, a group funded by Microsoft’s rivals said Wednesday.
ProComp, backed by companies including Oracle Corp., Sun Microsystems Inc. and AOL Time Warner Inc., sent a letter to Justice Department antitrust chief Charles A. James and state attorneys general.
“It cannot be argued that Microsoft made even a good-faith effort to comply,” said the letter, written by ProComp chief Mitchell S. Pettit.
Under a federal antitrust settlement reached late last year, Microsoft was ordered to come up with a way to hide access to its software--such as the Internet Explorer Web browser, Windows Media Player and Windows Messenger--and allow users to choose non-Microsoft products.
Microsoft tested the customization program for software developers before it was released to consumers this month and any complaints should have been aired then, spokesman Jim Desler said.
“It’s unfortunate but hardly surprising that this special-interest group chose not to play a part in the beta process and rather chose to play politics on this issue,” Desler said.
ProComp said Microsoft makes it unnecessarily difficult for consumers to use the software, called Program Access.
The software is available only with a huge download of Windows bug fixes called Service Pack 1. The service pack requires a large amount of hard-drive space and installation takes more than an hour on a typical Internet connection.
A Windows user with a slow Internet connection can buy the update on CD-ROM for about $10. Because it costs less than that to manufacture and ship a CD, Pettit said, Microsoft may profit from its effort to comply with the settlement, which the company denies.
Most non-Microsoft products won’t appear in the Program Access software for some time because they need to be modified to appear as options. Pettit said the wait is unnecessary because other parts of Windows already allow similar choices for Web browser and e-mail programs.
