Microsoft reduced to going with EU's name

After being thwarted with plans to call its scaled-back Windows "Windows XP Reduced Media Edition," Microsoft said Monday it will accept the European Commission's suggested name: Windows XP Home Edition N and Windows XP Professional Edition N.

Microsoft had contended that, while it may sound negative, its original name best described the European Commission-ordered version which has the Windows Media Player name removed.

The software maker was not too happy that the commission didn't choose one of its nine suggested names, but said it will adopt the commission's name "in order to move forward."

And if the chosen name is confusing, it's no less clear than some of the names Microsoft put forth, including Windows XP/N and Windows XP/B.