An expected ruling in the Microsoft antitrust case has prompted the company to cancel Thursday's scheduled announcement of its highly-anticipated Next Generation Windows Services, or NGWS.

According to Microsoft, a "final decree... in our continuing antitrust matter... would distract attention and focus from our event."

Described as a broad group of products designed to transform Windows into an all-encompassing Web-based services platform, NGWS would likely be precluded under any remedy imposed by Judge Thomas Penfield Jackson, whose final decision could come later this week.

The full story can be found at www.theregister.co.uk.