Microsoft must open up on its server interfaces and either unbundle Media Player from Windows or ship competing players with the product, the European Commission said today in a 'last warning' to the company. According to the Commission, "Microsoft's [antitrust] abuses are still ongoing," and the company is being given one final chance to answer the objections before Europe pushes the button.

Competition Commissioner Mario Monti has been investigating Microsoft since before computers were invented - or at any rate, that's what it feels like. But the two outline remedies put forward in the Commission's third and last "statement of objections" indicate that the two key beefs, leveraging client dominance in order to gain share in the server market, and tying of Media Player, have remained constant and unshaken throughout.

The European Commission said on Wednesday it intended to fine Microsoft for what it called continuing abuses of its dominant market position and force it to change the way it distributes its Media Player software.

In its strongest statement yet in its long-running antitrust probe against the world's largest software company, the EU also said it could order Microsoft to open up the code for its computer server software to outside companies.

An EU spokesman said the European Commission felt it had a strong case against Microsoft and the amount of the fine would be linked to the severity and duration of Microsoft's perceived offense.

"At this stage, we have so much evidence and we are in possession of such substantive a file that we believe any decision we take will withstand scrutiny of the European court,'' commission spokesman Tilman Lueder told a briefing.