Out-Law / Your Daily Need-To-Know

Microsoft yesterday presented a final rebuttal of the US Government plan to break it up following the finding that Microsoft violated anti-trust laws. The software giant offered testimony from top executives of other companies, including Compaq and Dreamworks, in support of its view that a break-up would harm the US economy.

However, Microsoft also proposed amendments to the government’s proposal, including “realistic time lines, resource questions, foreign government issues, tax questions and other complex issues the government plan knowingly or unknowingly overlooked,” the company said.

Microsoft said: “The government’s proposed final judgement is defective in numerous respects, making the document vague and ambiguous.” This was the software giant’s final submission to Judge Thomas Penfield Jackson before he gives his decision on how to deal with Microsoft.

The ruling is expected imminently and, in view of this, Microsoft has shelved plans to launch new software which would provide internet access for any kind of computing device, including mobile phones and personal digital assistants (PDAs). It has also postponed Forum 2000, its technology roadmap event, scheduled to take place today.

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