State keeps pressure on Microsoft

Microsoft may target Abobe, Massachusetts fears

The US state of Massachusetts says Microsoft still engages in "troubling" practices, despite a deal reached with federal antitrust authorities in 2002.

The Massachusetts attorney general said his state was investigating reports that the software giant was continuing to stifle competition.

The 2002 deal may not be adequate to rein in Microsoft, Attorney General Thomas Reilly added.

Massachusetts is the only US state still calling for a tougher settlement.

The state is looking into allegations that Microsoft is engaged in a campaign against a number search engines - similar to the campaign it previously waged against rival browsers, Mr Reilly said in a court document.

The document did not specify which search engines may have been targeted.

'Serial killing'

Mr Reilly added that Microsoft could be preparing to launch an offensive against Adobe Acrobat - a popular tool for internet documents.

"If Microsoft is taking steps to hobble the competitive effectiveness of these rival products... such serial killing of competing technologies is a serious and troubling prospect," the document said.

Mr Reilly said the company's behaviour was unlikely to be stopped by the "limited scope" of the 2002 deal.

The plan, approved by a federal judge, put an end to four years of legal action by the federal government and 18 states.

Massachusetts is the only state that still rejects the settlement.

The deal forced Microsoft to make it easier for competitors provide products that run on its ubiquitous Windows operating system.