Bill Gates plays ball

Microsoft has made a number of concessions ahead of a European Commission ruling on its ongoing antitrust case.

Microsoft's European counsel said the company's two concessions addressed the key concerns of the Brussels investigators.

The EC is looking into allegations that the software giant used its monopoly position to lever an unfair position in the server market.

In response, the company has made available two technical standards it claims will allow its rivals to make full use of the Windows operating system, the FT reports.

Microsoft has released the technical information on the Kerberos encryption technology, a secure method for authenticating a request for a service over a network.

The company has also opened details of the Common Internet File System - a protocol that allows programs to make requests for files and services on remote computers over the internet.

Microsoft acknowledged that the concessions fall way short of those demanded by Sun Microsystems, but dismissed them as "excessive".

However, the company is still holding out on making concessions to the bundling of its media player video software.

EC competition commissioner Mario Monti can fine Microsoft up to 10 per cent of its global revenues it he deems it has transgressed European antitrust laws.

The concessions are unlikely to leave Monti terribly impressed.