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EU Asked to Act Against Microsoft

According to the Wall Street Journal recent report, two U.S. software firms are asking the European Commission to act against Microsoft`s new Vista operating system. The paper said, quoting those familiar with the situation, that EU regulators were told by Adobe Systems that Microsoft should be banned from integrating free competing software for reading and creating electronic documents with Vista.

Symantec, the antivirus software maker, will send officials to Brussels in order to brief journalists about features of Vista that it has told EU regulators will challenge rival makers of computer security software. Two Symantec executives would travel to Brussels to discuss Vista and security: vice president for consumer engineering Rowan Trollope and a senior engineer in the technology strategy office, Bruce McCorkendale. They would talk to journalists. It was not clear if they would also meet European Union officials, European representatives of the U.S. firm said.

The Commission, Europe`s top antitrust authority, expressed apprehension about Vista, saying there was a risk Microsoft could shut out competition in computer security by tying new security features into the system. Microsoft has said the product is on course for a public launch in January and hopes the Commission will not require removal of security features in Europe.