Market Watch

[Joemoney]

Microsoft to Reveal Windows Code

WASHINGTON (Reuters) - Microsoft Corp. (NasdaqNM:MSFT - News) will reveal hundreds of pieces of proprietary computer code from its monopoly Windows operating system in the next several weeks to comply with an antitrust settlement it signed with the U.S. Justice Department last year, the company said on Monday.

The software giant said the disclosures are part of its first steps to comply with the settlement that must still be approved by a federal judge and remains opposed by nine state attorneys general seeking stiffer sanctions.

Microsoft said it plans to disclose nearly 400 pieces of computer code and internal operating rules, previously kept secret, which outside software developers can use to write programs to run on Windows.

"With these new (disclosures), software developers will have additional development choices in designing their Windows programs," the company said in a statement.

http://biz.yahoo.com/rb/020805/microsoft_code_12.html