Microsoft U-turn on PC vendor freedom

Seattle giant gets precious about its logo...

By Suzanna Kerridge, 31 July 2001 14:26

NEWS Just weeks after agreeing to allow PC vendors more freedom Microsoft already appears to be reneging on the deal by insisting the MSN logo is displayed on PC interfaces. The software giant announced a revamped - more flexible - licensing agreement earlier this month in response to a Federal Court ruling which concluded the company had abused its monopoly power. The renewed agreement enabled PC vendors to customise icons highlighting device specific applications. Compaq was the first to take advantage of this freedom and announced a deal last week with MSN arch-rival AOL Time Warner to display the AOL logo. OEMs choosing to post competing icons will now be required to display the MSN logo as well. Microsoft claimed the decision to use the MSN brand was taken two weeks ago but went unpublicised.

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