A computer scientist testifying for Microsoft may have done the company more harm than good.

The states pursuing the world's largest software company managed to get MIT professor Stuart Madnick to contradict some of his earlier statements and acknowledge that a stripped-down version of the Windows operating system may be "technically feasible." One part of the states' 42-page proposed sanctions (PDF) calls for a version of Windows with components such as Internet Explorer, Windows Media Player and HTML help system deleted.

One part of the states' 42-page proposed sanctions (PDF) calls for a version of Windows with components such as Internet Explorer, Windows Media Player and HTML help system deleted.

Madnick, who teaches information technology, had previously said that the proposal would make Windows crumble like "a house of cards." But under cross-examination from states' attorney Kevin Hodges, Madnick retreated from his prior testimony and conceded that Microsoft should be able to comply with the scheme. "Would it be feasible for Microsoft to separate the code that provides Web browsing capabilities from the code that provides operating system functionalities?" Hodges asked. Madnick hesitated, then replied: "It's possible." Then he attempted to regain some lost ground, reiterating the many interdependencies that exist among components of Windows.