The ripple effect of a US Federal court’s preliminary injunction requiring Microsoft Corp to separate the Internet Explorer browser and Windows 95 has spread to the influential Software Publishers Association which yesterday recommended the industry adhere to a set of business principles which clearly reflect key aspects of court’s action. SPA, which didn’t mention Microsoft by name, says vendors’ operating systems should not be used to unfairly favor its own products and services, or its favored partners, over those competing vendors. The operating system vendor should not include its own services or products as part of the operating system or user interface unless it gives the same ability to integrate products and services into the operating system to competing vendors. The SPA says the tying of certain applications to the sale of other applications has the effect of restraining competition among independent software vendors. Microsoft is reported to have called the SPA guidelines short sighted. SPA says the guidelines, which are based upon a survey of its members’ attitudes, are not a call for general regulation of our industry. Rather, the principles reflect an industry consensus of how some business practices promote or impair strong competition. The SPA trade association has 1,200 members worldwide and claims to represent 85% of sales in the US packaged and on-line software industry.
