Autodesk executive backs Microsoft over states

WASHINGTON: An executive at software developer Autodesk Inc. warned on

Wednesday that the demands of nine states still pursuing the antitrust case

against Microsoft Corp. would confuse computer users and raise the cost of

software.

Autodesk Chief Technology Officer Scott Borduin told a federal court that the

states' proposals would lead to multiple versions of Microsoft's Windows

operating system, causing harm to software developers and consumers alike.

"It will lead to customer confusion and reduced reliability on computer

software," Borduin said in written testimony to US District Judge Colleen

Kollar-Kotelly.

"The testing costs associated with continuing at the current pace of

innovation will be astonomical if Microsoft is forced to support multiple

versions of each Windows operating system," he said.

A key demand of the nine states is for Microsoft to produce a version of

Windows with removable features that can be customized by computer makers and

competing software firms.

These states have rejected a proposed settlement of the 4-year-old case that

would allow computer makers to hide certain Windows features and promote

non-Microsoft products. Borduin, Microsoft's third witness after four weeks of

testimony by witnesses for the non-settling states, said software developers

will be less likely to write software programs to an unstable or unpredictable

operating system.

Autodesk specializes in computer-aided design, digital media and

manufacturing software. A federal appeals court in June upheld the original

trial court's conclusion that Microsoft had illegally maintained its Windows

monopoly through acts that included trying to crush Netscape’s Internet

browser.

The hearings on the demands of the nine states are expected to go through May

at their current pace. Kollar-Kotelly is also considering whether to endorse the

proposed settlement reached between Microsoft and the US Justice Department in

November.

Borduin, addressing the states' demand for more information about the inner

workings of Windows, said Microsoft has always disclosed enough information

about Windows for independent software vendors (ISVs) to write their programs.

"In my experience and observation, Microsoft does not discriminate against

ISVs that also write applications to competing platforms in providing this

detailed technical information and support," he said.