Microsoft to Untie Link To Its Own Web Browser
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By Jonathan Krim, Washington Post Staff Writer
Microsoft Corp. will change the way an online music feature of its Windows XP (news - web sites) operating system works to satisfy Justice Department (news - web sites) concerns that the feature violated an antitrust settlement with the company.
In an advisory yesterday for the federal court overseeing the settlement, Justice Department lawyers said that Microsoft's "Shop for Music Online" feature, which directs Windows users to an Internet site where they can buy music from retailers, violated the settlement struck in late 2001.
The settlement requires Microsoft to allow computer users to choose which non-operating system programs they want to use, such as programs for browsing the Internet, listening to music or viewing digital videos.
Under Windows XP's configuration, when users set their machines to use a rival Web browser, the shop-for-music feature invokes Microsoft's Internet Explorer browser. According to the advisory, Microsoft disputed that this violated the settlement, but agreed to change it through a Windows update patch that will be released in February or March.
A Microsoft spokesman, Stacy Drake McCredy, told the Associated Press that the company agreed to the change for business reasons.
"While we differed in our interpretation of the consent decree, we are pleased that he changes we'll be making also address government concerns about this feature," she said.
Microsoft critics have complained about the way the shop-for-music feature works, arguing that it demonstrates the company's continued efforts to force users to use its software.
Sources said that representatives of RealNetworks Inc., which makes a media player that competes with the Windows Media Player, testified about the problem at recent closed hearings before European Union (news - web sites) regulators.
The case against Microsoft in Europe could result in the company being forced to separate its media player from the Windows operating system, a move Microsoft is fighting.
Seattle-based RealNetworks also sued Microsoft last month for civil antitrust violations, seeking more than $1 billion in damages.
