This is an interesting idea. I think I proposed something similar a few months ago regarding a bare bones Windows OS, with add-on packages available, "Multimedia," "Home Office," etc.

I don't agree with requiring MS to reveal their code to their competitors. That's just anti-Microsoft, and doesn't really serve any antitrust purpose.

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WASHINGTON (Reuters) - State attorneys general pressing the antitrust case against Microsoft Corp. on Friday asked a judge to order the company to offer a cheaper, stripped-down version of its Windows operating system.

In a filing with U.S. District Court Judge Colleen Kollar-Kotelly, the nine states still suing Microsoft outlined a series of measures they said were needed to restore competition to the computer industry in the wake of the company's antitrust violations.

"This remedy request offers a powerful and compelling blueprint for restoring competition and stopping Microsoft from abusing its monopoly power," Connecticut Attorney General Richard Blumenthal told a conference call with reporters.

The nine states are promoting their remedy as superior to a settlement Microsoft reached last month with the Justice Department and nine of the other states who were party to the case.

Microsoft immediately criticized the new proposal as "extreme" and said it was "not commensurate with what is left of the case."

The stripped-down version of Windows would come without Microsoft's Internet Explorer browser, as well as its e-mail and media player software.

The provision is designed to allow computer makers to customize personal computers to meet consumers' preferences.

In addition to the bare-bones version of Windows, the hold-out states are asking Kollar-Kotelly to order "early and broad" disclosure of the computer code behind Windows.

They also want to ensure that Microsoft Office, the popular business software, will be compatible with other software platforms and want to give competitors access to the inner workings of Internet Explorer and allow them to sell their own customized version of the Web browser.

The proposal also would require Microsoft to include Sun Microsystems Inc's Java programming language in its new Windows XP operating system.

Microsoft had included Java in its operating system for years but dropped it from Windows XP because of legal problems with Sun Microsystems.

Kollar-Kotelly has scheduled a hearing for March to determine what, if any, further sanctions should be imposed against the company.

Hearings will also have to be held on the proposed settlement with the Justice Department.

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I wish they would leave Microsoft alone already. Atleast Microsoft is a monopoly created out of innovation. The government has there monopolies like the post office, that are free to keep on charging more, without any improvement in service, and they get away with it because nobody is allowed to compete. In Microsoft's case they have plenty of competitors, but until there competitors offer better products, Microsoft will continue to rule.

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I wish they'd leave Microsoft alone too. I don't care much for some of their products, but Microsoft shouldn't have these restrictions placed on their doing business. The open source movement is proving that competition is very possible.

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Yep, Its not as if there are no other solutions.

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