Coming soon: 4,096 mutant versions of Windows

In his opening statement in the unsettling States' antitrust action yesterday Microsoft attorney Dan Webb explained the maths of Steve Ballmer's millions of versions of Windows nightmare , and promised much in the way of fireworks to come. The States' opening statement we can pass over unremarked, because we knew what they were going to say anyway, so it is Microsoft's defence that at this juncture provides the interest.

First, those numbers. According to Webb there would in fact be 4,096 mutant versions of Windows. This is based on there being ten middleware products which anyone who had licensed 10,000 or more copies of Windows could, under the States' proposed remedies, demand be removed from Windows. They could ask for all ten to be removed, they could ask for one to be removed, they could ask for any combination. This does not chalk up 4,096, of course, but Webb's argument is based on there being four versions of Windows, so it's 4x1,024. And no, it doesn't multiply up to 1,024 either, but we're sure that numerous Register readers who don't have lives will shortly tell us what it does add up to.

Carry on mutating at The Register USA