More antitrust issues raised against Vista

HARTFORD, Conn., June 12 (UPI) -- Allegations by Google that Microsoft's new operating systems puts competitors at a disadvantage revived antitrust claims against U.S. software giant.

The complaint, which Google raised last year against Microsoft's Windows Vista system, most likely will be reviewed this month by the federal judge overseeing Microsoft's compliance with a 2002 consent degree resolving the government's antitrust case against it, The Washington Post reported Tuesday.

However, Connecticut Attorney General Richard Blumenthal said Monday several states' officials may decide by next week whether to ask U.S. District Judge Colleen Kollar-Kotelly to force Microsoft to revise its latest operating system version.

"If Microsoft is misusing its market dominance with Vista to constrain competition or consumer choice, we will seek appropriate action from the court," Blumenthal told the Post.

The latest dispute is about the desktop-search capability included in Vista. Desktop search, separate from Internet search, allows users to scan their own information, such as data on their hard drive.

Google told officials monitoring the consent decree Vista's design makes it difficult for users wanting to run Google's desktop search, the Post said.

Microsoft said the desktop search feature wasn't in the original consent decree and service problems are technical issues on Google's part.