"This Statement of Objections supplements one sent to the company a year ago and adds a new dimension to the Commission's concerns that Microsoft's actions may harm innovation and restrict choice for consumers," the Commission said in a statement.

The European Commission, the executive body of the European Union, said Microsoft may have violated European antitrust rules by "using illegal practices to extend its dominant position in the market for personal computer operating systems into the market for low-end server operating systems."

Low-end server systems are cheaper servers usually used as file and print servers as well as Web servers, the Commission said.

Microsoft has about two months to reply in writing to the latest statement of objections "which is now merged with the existing procedure triggered by a Sun Microsystems complaint," the Commission said.



[link|http://www.itworld.com/Man/2699/IDG010830ms_eu/|IT World - EU expands Microsoft investigation ]

Doug M