Microsoft makes more licensing concessions
Microsoft has relaxed licensing restrictions on access to the Windows code and protocols it placed on competitors after last year's antitrust ruling in the US.
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Following negotiations with the US Department of Justice, Microsoft said it will make it easier and cheaper for rivals to get hold of code needed to make their applications fully interoperable with the Windows operating system.
Microsoft agreed to license parts of the operating system code to other software companies as part of the antitrust settlement, but competitors complained that the licensing terms made it too expensive
The easing of access to Windows intellectual property protocols will make it easier for rivals to make their own web browsers, instant messaging applications and multi-media software run on Microsoft’s operating system.
‘These changes are designed to provide more readily available information to companies about our technologies, and make it easier and more attractive for those companies to license our technology,’ said Brad Smith, senior vice president at Microsoft, in a statement.
Microsoft said further fine-tuning of its Communications Protocol Programme, which was first announced in August last year, will be made available on its website soon.
‘The proposed changes, which will be available shortly will have the effect of greatly simplifying the agreement process, and modifying aspects of the royalty structure that will open this programme to a wider range of businesses.’