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The move is Microsoft's latest response to EC efforts to get the software giant to comply with the 2004 ruling. This demanded that the company open up Windows Server so that third-parties can provide interoperable products on a par with those from Microsoft itself.

Microsoft will offer free, unlimited technical support to licensees of the European Commission's Workgroup Server Protocol Programme. The company also says it will now provide on-site assistance to licensees to further any development process.

Microsoft also confirmed that it has submitted a work plan to Professor Barrett, the Monitoring

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Trustee, detailing a number of projects to improve the Programme's technical documentation.

Earlier this month the European Commission sent a letter to Microsoft detailing the company's failure to comply with the 2004 judgement - particularly over the documentation. It reported that Microsoft's efforts thus far were 'entirely inadequate', 'devoted to obsolete functionality', 'self-contradictory' and written 'primarily to maximise volume (page count) while minimising useful information'.

The European Commission has not yet been formally informed of the decision and is not yet able to make a comment on the offer. But, the recent sticking point has not been over technical support but over the quality of the documentation.

If the 'improvements' that Microsoft suggests to Professor Barrett are genuine then there may be a breakthrough on the horizon. However, given that Microsoft's public announcements about compliance have rarely been what they seem, the Commission may well decide to go ahead with the fine.

A full hearing of Microsoft's appeal against the ruling is due to be heard on 24 - 28 April in the European Court of First Instance.