Microsoft refuse to comply with judge's request

Microsoft's lawyers have refused to comply with a judge's request that they offer possible concessions to US nine states suing the company.

As the antitrust case draws to a end, Colleen Kollar-Kotelly had asked both sides to rank their competing proposals.

She wanted Microsoft to say whether it could accept any of the "least onerous" state penalties.

During closing arguments, Microsoft lawyer John Warden refused to give any ground.

He said: "This proposed decree is fundamentally flawed. We can't remedy any of this by changing a few words here and there."

Judge Kollar-Kotelly has to decide whether to institute the states' harsh sanctions against Microsoft as punishment for breaking antitrust law.

She is also weighing a much less demanding federal settlement made last year.

The arguments cap two months of testimony. Ms Kollar-Kotelly is expected to make her decisions later this summer.

Mr Warden dismissed the judge's request that the company consider how perceived loopholes in the federal deal could be fixed.

He called the criticisms "groundless", saying they were "by people who would benefit by its changes", referring to the company's competitors.