Microsoft accused archrival AOL Time Warner of engineering a letter sent on behalf of six states that criticized the soon-to-be-released Windows XP operating system. The states, which are not involved in the current Microsoft antitrust suit, sent the letter to Microsoft chief executive Steve Ballmer this week. The attorney general who signed the letter, William Sorrell of Vermont, confirmed that the original draft was written by a lobbyist who works for Microsoft critics, but he had no apologies. Windows XP includes many features that replace competitors' stand-alone products and will reach users as early as next week. It has been criticized by prosecutors and competitors.
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