“The US Department of Justice (DoJ) has conceded Microsoft
another 60 days to comply with its proposed behavioural remedies.
The remedies alone are enough to oblige Microsoft to sell multiple
versions of each Windows OS, sans “middleware”.”
“Since the DoJ handily defines middleware to encompass not only
the browser and streaming media applications, but anything a
competitor might call middleware, that’s likely to result in some
drastic slash and burn to the Windows product family. Microsoft
must resell the stripped-down Windows at a lower cost, too.”
“The DoJ’s twin-track approach sees these remedies coming into
effect regardless of Microsoft’s appeals against the structural
remedy. The DoJ says in a supporting memo that the extension should
be enough “to permit orderly resolution of any questions that might
arise regarding stays pending appeal.”