A Microsoft lawyer has told Europe’s Court of First Instance consumers benefited from Microsoft’s improved Windows, and competition in the audiovisual software industry was thriving, “contrary to the Commission’s predictions that rival media player providers would become extinct,” says Reuters.
But, “Microsoft ended a rival’s reign as the leading media player maker by bundling its own program with Windows and could do the same to others if its appeal of a landmark antitrust ruling is granted, the European Commission and its supporters warned Tuesday,” says the Associated Press.

In the first story, Microsoft said the EU made fundamental errors in deciding the company illegally tied Windows Media Player to its near-monopoly operating system.
“That theory is flawed at every step,” Microsoft lawyer Jean-Francois Bellis is quoted as saying.
RealNetworks was the firm whose reign was allegedly ended, and in the second story, Microsoft “brushed off” the claims, saying it added extra functions to its operating systems to meet likely demand from consumers as, “part of a natural process of evolution in the technology sector”.
RealNetworks filed an anti-trust suit against Microsoft in the US and appeared against it in a related action in Luxembourg, says Reuters, “But it settled in October for $761 million, which also included a marketing agreement” and now, “cooperates with Microsoft instead of competing”.
Commission lawyer Per Hellstrom told Court of First Instance judges, “Microsoft cannot be allowed to decide who can innovate and who cannot,” says AP.
Microsoft, “because of its clout and near-monopoly size, can alter innovation by other companies simply by incorporating its own program or protocol,” he said, adding the company has a “chilling effect on innovation in any area where Microsoft may take an interest.”