The possibility of a breakup hung over the company's annual CEO Summit like a Seattle rain cloud. D.C. He issued his landmark breakup order two weeks later. A federal appeals court is likely to rule during the next several weeks on Microsoft's appeal of the antitrust ruling. It is widely expected to reject the breakup order. More antitrust issues Not that antitrust issues have faded altogether.
Critics say such bundled programs make it hard to sell separate products.
Microsoft officials insist the enhancements being made to Windows XP are designed to deliver a better experience to customers. A spokesman also alleged that critics are simply repeating old arguments that already have been hashed out in a courtroom. In a demonstration accompanying his speech, Gates is expected to preview some Microsoft software, still under development, that links a fictitious furniture company to suppliers. The software also hooks into some programs in Microsoft's ubiquitous Office suite, which most workers use for word-processing and spreadsheet tasks. The CEOs, who come from all over the world to hear about Microsoft's new initiatives and discuss more general business topics, will be treated to free goodies to take home.