MS applied closed fist to Palm?

Yet another update from the courts...

Microsoft was close to sharing a key programming tool after learning that Palm Inc. was participating in the antitrust case against the software giant, an executive from the No. 1 handheld computer maker told federal court on Thursday.

Palm executive Michael Mace told U.S. District Judge Colleen Kollar-Kotelly the software giant had refused Palm access to the software development tool called VSIP and had set one-sided conditions for allowing Palm handhelds to work with Microsoft's .Net Internet software.

Mace was the ninth witness called by nine states seeking stiffer sanctions against Microsoft for findings it illegally maintained its Windows monopoly in personal computer operating systems.

"We are pleased that Palm may now be offered access to VSIP, but the process by which we go there was very disturbing," Mace said in written testimony.

Mace, chief competitive officer of Palm's software subsidiary, said Microsoft had refused to allow Palm into the VSIP, short for Visual Studio Integration Program, even though it was supposed to be open to the whole computer industry.

Mace said Microsoft had tried to barter Palm's entry into VSIP in exchange for Palm deploying Microsoft's .Net technologies, a suite of Web-based services. VSIP allows software developers who write their programs for Windows to convert easily their programs to run on Palm's operating system. Palm had tried to gain entry to the VSIP program for two years and was only now in the final details of a deal.

News source: ZDNet News