US DoJ condemns MS ruling

A senior figure at the Department of Justice and the leader of the Senate have damned Mario Monti's judgement on Microsoft.

Hewitt Pate, head of antitrust at the Department of Justice, described the decision as "unfortunate" and said the restrictions put on Microsoft may have "unintended consequences".

Senate majority leader Bill Frist was no happier, described the decision as "preposterous", according to CNN. "I now fear that the US and the EU are heading toward a new trade war - and that the commission's ruling against Microsoft is the first shot," he said.