The European Committee for Interoperable Systems (ECIS), which wants to nail Microsoft's hide to the barn door, told the European Commission that Redmond "substantially understated" its share of the European browser market in an effort to blunt the regulator's determination to crucify it for allegedly illegally tying Windows and Internet Explorer together.

The industry group used by Microsoft's enemies stuck its two cents in the case last Friday and since its formal response to Microsoft's defense is supposed to be a secret, it went running and telling the Financial Times what it said.

ECIS reportedly claims Microsoft's contention that it now owns less than 55% of the European browser market, down from 85% four years ago, is skewed in favor of more active and more sophisticated PC users, who are more likely to have downloaded Chrome or Firefox or Opera.

But even if Microsoft's number are dead-on accurate, ECIS still figures Microsoft is abusing its dominance and should be made to give Windows users a choice of its competitors via a "ballot screen," the paper said.

Microsoft contends that forcing it to distribute other people's software would be illegal, a position ECIS called "purely speculative."

Meanwhile, quoting people familiar with the case, Bloomberg says the EC sent OEMs confidential questionnaires asking if Microsoft pressured them to oppose a ballot screen. They were also reportedly asked their opinion of the proposed remedy, what browsers should be included, what the criteria should be and how the browsers should be presented on the screen.