(2002-05-07) n

Dueling Microsoft culture: The states released a June 2000 Microsoft e-mail that showed a plan for Microsoft's media player to play music files in proprietary formats by rivals Real Networks and Apple.

• "Remember the 'embrace and extend' campaigns we've used in the past," Microsoft employee Fraser Mocke wrote to colleagues, "and personally I want us to rule the airwaves."

• Another Microsoft executive, Dave Foster, cut the discussion short: "No more replies," he wrote. "We need to keep all of this off the airwaves."

• Linda Averett said she personally disagreed with the tactic because she respects the rights of software developers to control how their formats are used.