DOJ seeks to prove MS deliberately changed Windows Update

The U.S. Department of Justice (DOJ) on Monday asked Judge Thomas PenfieldJackson for permission to question Microsoft vice president Jim Allchin about an issue that came up in court last week. During the testimony ofeducator Edward Felton, it was alleged that Microsoft had purposefullychanged its Windows Update Web site--where Windows 98 users go to downloadoperating system updates--so that Felton's version of Windows 98 wouldn'twork with the site. Felton had created a version of Windows 98 that doesn'tinclude Internet Explorer integration with the OS and he said the WindowsUpdate site worked fine with his Windows 98 until Microsoft saw how he didit. Then, without warning, Windows Update began turning away his IE-lessWindows 98.

The DOJ wishes to talk to Allchin earlier than scheduled; Allchin was tohave testified about Microsoft's testing of Felton's special version of Windows 98 at a later date. But Allchin refused to answer questions aboutFelton's Windows 98 in his September deposition, claiming that he hadn'tbeen briefed at that time about the program.

The Microsoft antitrust trial will resume after New Years