Microsoft has announced the timetable for availability of Windows XP Home Edition N and Windows XP Professional N, the two versions of the Windows operating system created as part of the company's compliance with the European Commission's decision of March 2004.

As part of the ruling, Microsoft was also forced to pay 497 million euros and open up its Windows protocols to third parties. The source code licensing requirement became a sticking point, as Microsoft has refused to give access to open source developers due to intellectual property concerns.

Originally released to computer makers in January 2005, the latest versions of the Windows XP operating systems without Windows Media Player (WMP) follow further clarifications from the European Commission. The new version of Windows XP is identical to the current version, minus Media Player (and 186 other media-related files), as ordered by the European Commission as part of its antitrust remedy.

The operating systems were made available to computer manufacturers on June 15 in English, French, German, Italian and Spanish, and will be available to other distribution channels, including the retail and volume licensing channels, on July 1. The remaining language versions - Czech, Danish, Dutch, Finnish, Greek, Hungarian, Norwegian, Polish, Portuguese and Swedish - will be available to computer makers on July 1 and to other distribution channels on July 15.

As is the case with existing versions of Windows, computer makers and end users can install other media players with the software. Microsoft provided CDs with both products to the European Commission early last week. It's not clear, however, if computer manufacturers will even be interested in the N editions, which carry the same price tag as versions with Windows Media Player.

Microsoft initially proposed calling the special WMP-free versions Windows XP Reduced Media Edition. EU officials, however, were not amused by the name and Microsoft reluctantly agreed to use the letter N, which stands for 'not with media player.' Microsoft says it had suggested nine different names, which included Windows XP/N and Windows XP/B, as well as 'Windows XP Not Incorporating Windows Media Player.' All nine were rejected by the EU.

Microsoft also said it will make available from its Web site a media pack that will restore all of the standard Windows XP files that have been removed in the N edition, should users wish to regain those features.

BIOS, Jun 16, 05 | Print | Send | Comments (0) | Posted In Operating System