Microsoft has settled its differences with the European Commission and South Korea, meaning that Windows Vista is on track for worldwide release to volume license business customers in November and for consumers worldwide in January 2007.

The company has been talking to the Korea Fair Trade Commission as well as the European Commission and Commissioner Neelie Kroes since the spring of 2005, and made changes to Vista in the spring and summer of 2006 following initial guidance from Kroes, said Mary Snapp, a vice president and deputy general counsel at Microsoft, on Oct. 13.

"We have taken guidance from the European Commission and have been sharing product details with them since the spring of 2005 and have made changes in Vista to reflect that feedback. We understand that they do not give a formal green light and we have not asked them for one. We believe we are now in compliance with the laws of the European Union," she said.