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Under Microsoft Corp.'s MSFT.O antitrust settlement with the U.S. government, a future computer buyer could turn on the machine and see a Netscape browser, AOL's instant messenger and RealNetworks' audio and video software, instead of all Microsoft, all the time. That's the theory, anyway. In reality, while the deal gives PC makers more leeway in deciding what software to put on computers, many will likely stick to Microsoft products or at most offer competing ones alongside, analysts said.

Microsoft in difficult times, slow economy and during the trial has managed to outperform competitors, now when the anti-trust case is close, it will be unstoppable. All that money that Sun and AOL spend on lobbying was good for nothing. aahhhhhh.

Microsoft Corp. executives may be breathing a little easier after the software giant reached an antitrust settlement with the U.S. government, but the deal left its rivals on edge. "A settlement on Microsoft probably has a little bit of an overhang effect on the rest of the industry," Goldman Sachs analyst Thomas Berquist said. "It means that all the rest of the competitors have to dig in a little harder to fight against a unified Microsoft." Rivals including Sun Microsystems Inc., AOL Time Warner Inc. and RealNetworks Inc., said the remedies would not prevent the software giant from abusing its monopoly power in the future.

Consumer groups and Microsoft competitors reacted to Friday's proposed antitrust settlement with disappointment and skepticism. The reaction to the deal reached by the software titan and the Justice Department in the landmark case boils down to one simple sentence: Microsoft got off easy. "They seem to have done pretty well with the settlement with the DOJ," said James Love, director of the Consumer Project on Technology. The organization, formed by Ralph Nader in 1995, focuses on intellectual property rights, among other issues. "We're disappointed," he said. "We would have expected to see more pop" in the settlement.

Microsoft Corp. and the Justice Department brought their epic antitrust battle closer to an end yesterday as they delivered to federal court a settlement proposal that several state attorneys general indicated they may be willing to support. The terms, however, drew a storm of criticism from some of the software giant's major rivals, including AOL Time Warner Inc., Sun Microsystems Inc. and RealNetworks Inc. Many said the accord is so full of loopholes that it is doubtful it will restore competition in the computer industry. In a brief proceeding yesterday morning, U.S. District Judge Colleen Kollar-Kotelly did not comment on the merits of the draft but applauded the effort and agreed to give the state attorneys general who are also party to the suit until 9 a.m. Tuesday to review the terms.

Thanks to ActiveWin for brining up this story

Microsoft today announced that MechWarrior 4: Black Knight Expansion, the highly anticipated add-on pack to MechWarrior 4: Vengeance, is now available at retail locations throughout North America for only $29.95 (U.S.). MechWarrior 4: Black Knight Expansion drops the player into the notorious Black Knight Legion, a mercenary group of MechWarriors focused on taking care of the most important people - themselves. MechWarrior 4: Black Knight Expansion pack introduces five new 'MechsT for the player to pilot: the Sunder, Ryoken, Uller, Wolfhound and Black Knight. It also includes several new vehicles, such as the Demolisher II Heavy Tank and the Nightwind Attack Helicopter; and new weapons, like the incredibly devastating Cluster Bombs.

Internet surfers flocked in late October to Xbox.com the Web site dedicated to Microsoft Corp.'s new video game console, according to a new survey. Xbox.com drew 589,000 unique visitors to the site during the week ended Oct. 28, soaring 71 percent from the previous week, according to Internet audience measurement service Nielsen//NetRatings. Microsoft's new video game console is set to launch Nov. 15. At-home surfers accessed more than 5 million pages on the site, more than double the 2.4 million page views in the previous week. Males comprised 65 percent of the site's audience, NetRatings said. Surfers spent more than 5 minutes at the site, with three-quarters of the visitors clicking on the page featuring the Taco Bell-Xbox Instant Win Sweepstakes.

Here comes whining of the losers....

Sun Microsystems Inc. said on Friday it might sue rival Microsoft Corp, since it believed an anti-trust settlement between the federal government and the software maker would not protect competitors. Sun's top lawyer, General Counsel Mike Morris, told Reuters Microsoft would still be able to hurt competitors under a deal struck with the U.S. Department of Justice. "It is not even weak. It is totally ineffectual," Morris said of the settlement. "There are all sorts of outs and loopholes and vagaries and lack of definitions here."

Webcast of Bill Gates-Steve Ballmer Press Conference (56K or 256K)

Microsoft Corp. today announced that it has reached a settlement with the United States government in its three-year antitrust case. The settlement, which must be approved by the federal judge overseeing the case, would impose restrictions and regulations for a five-year period on how the company develops and licenses software, works with independent software vendors, and communicates about the inner workings of its software with partners and competitors.

The Navy's next-generation aircraft carrier will use Microsoft Windows 2000 to run its communications systems, aircraft and weapons launchers, and other ship electronics. Newport News Shipbuilding is constructing CVN 77, a nuclear-powered aircraft carrier, for the Navy in Newport News, Va. In January, the shipbuilder chose Lockheed Martin Corp. to develop the carrier's integrated warfare systems, said Jerri Fuller Dickseski, a company spokeswoman. Lockheed Martin officials chose Microsoft for the project. Following a seven-year shipbuilding project to begin in February, CVN 77 is expected to enter the fleet in 2008, she said.

Bonus Pack a review of stories and goodies that happened in past month, perfect of slow news weekend. Featuring roundup of Windows XP launch news and videos, Microprocessors, .Net and other news. Blackcomb video, and a lot more...