Following the Communications Protocol Licensing Program, Microsoft will be revealing 272 application-programming interfaces (APIs) used by five Microsoft middleware applications on August 28.
Other steps the company will be taking to settle the antitrust suit include the Windows XP Service Pack 1 (SP1), which is due for release at the end of September. Users and original equipment manufacturers (OEMs) will be able to cloak IE, Instant Messenger, Windows Media Player, Outlook Express, and the JVM, creating custom installations of Windows.
However, according to Brad Smith, senior vice president and general counsel of Microsoft, the Windows file protection API, which is used to replace critical Windows components, has not been released due to the potential risk of exposing users to more virulent forms of viruses, if it were released.
Microsoft is still awaiting the decision on the proposed antitrust settlement from Judge Collen Kollar-Kotelly, who is facing calls for harsher antitrust terms from nine non-settling US states.
