Why I don't like Microsoft, Part 3,584,203.2:

MS Admits Music Power-Play

A Microsoft official acknowledged Tuesday that the company uses a new feature in its Internet Explorer Web browser to play digital music files even if the user has already chosen a different music player.

The newest version of Internet Explorer has the ability to play music files within the browser, though it uses Microsoft's Windows Media Player technology to do so. Rival media companies such as RealNetworks have complained that Microsoft frequently overrides user preferences.

Under questioning from John Schmidtlein, a lawyer for nine states suing the company for antitrust violations, Microsoft executive Linda Averett said Microsoft could use RealNetworks software to play music in Internet Explorer, but chooses not to.

"The reason it is not replaceable is that Microsoft does not allow it to be replaceable, correct?" Schmidtlein asked.

"Correct, it is an integrated feature," Averett testified.Tiny example of how the company operates. You buy a computer, you license their operating system, it determines what software it will allow you to use. Suddenly you havel less control over your computer.

This is an example of how empires fall, because at the user level this sort of thing isn't tolerated. I still wish the government would get its nose out of the picture, since they tend to muck things up more rather than fix 'em. See Hollings's bill for solution to digital media piracy "problem".