Court's ruling makes a softie out of Microsoft.

Investment News, July, 2001 by Gabriel, Frederick P.

Nothing like a little lawsuit to turn Mean Old Microsoft into the Seattle Softie. The company said Wednesday it would change how it licenses its Windows operating system to computer makers, letting them remove access to its web browser and make other alterations. The move was in direct response to a ruling last month by a U.S.

appeals court that some of Microsoft's licensing practices were illegal. "We recognize that some provisions in our existing Windows license have been ruled improper by the court, so we are providing computer manufacturers with great flexibility," CEO Steve Ballmer said in a prepared statement. The biggest change is that Microsoft will let PC makers remove icons for the Internet Explorer web browser -- the product that is...

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