The issue goes back to the EU's original complaint that the company was abusing its dominant position. The main objection was the making of the Windows Media Player an integral component of the operating system but there were several smaller, side issues too. The first ruling was an insistance that they take the Media Player out. There was also a directive that Microsoft make those details of the system needed by its competitors available. That ruling was handed down in March last year and the issue remains unresolved. In theory, there is a version of Windows without the Media Player available but Microsoft claim that it doesn't work very well. Previous attempts to comply with the ruling haven't been acceptable to the regulators in Brussels and, in the meantime, the company is being fined 5 million dollars a day. It seems unlikely that anything offered by the software giant will placate Brussels and the fines will continue accruing. Microsoft have lodged an appeal with the European Court of Justice, the EU's highest authority but that court has already thrown out a application to suspend the ruling and the fine. Five million dollars a day is huge but it's little more than small change out of Microsoft's profits. Nevertheless, the action is causing considerable extra work and anguish for the company's European arm.

Reuben Dunn