Microsoft Accuses AOL of Hypocrisy
Yahoo | at | by Mike
Microsoft on Thursday challenged America Online's commitment to open technological standards even as the nation's largest Internet provider urged a judge to force Microsoft to adhere to such standards. While questioning an AOL witness testifying for nine states seeking antitrust penalties against Microsoft, Microsoft lawyer Richard Pepperman produced an internal AOL e-mail suggesting that AOL joined a high-profile Internet standards group only after it seemed Microsoft would join first.
AOL frequently has been criticized for stopping companies from developing products that work with AOL software. AOL has fought for several years to stop products made by Microsoft, Yahoo and even smaller companies from connecting with its market-leading instant messaging service.