According to allegations, the new program will give Microsoft an unfair advantage in software and ecommerce markets. Microsoft competitors, which do not have full access to the proprietary middleware, would be put at a disadvantage, according to the antitrust commission. The fear is that customers would have no other choice but to purchase Windows 2000. Microsoft denies that it bundles client and server versions of Windows 2000 together.
Customers are free to run multiple operating systems, the company says.
The investigation echoes a complaint Sun Microsystems filed with the EC last year. In the complaint, Sun alleged that Microsoft's plans for Windows 2000 will make it difficult to compete. Inc. All rights reserved.