Big firms side with Microsoft

Seattle PI | at | by Mike

Visa and Weyerhaeuser, two companies that have faced antitrust challenges of their own, are siding with Microsoft to oppose the proposed extension of its landmark U.S. antitrust deal.

In a joint filing, the companies ask U.S. District Judge Colleen Kollar-Kotelly to consider the precedent that would be set if she grants a request by California, New York and other states to continue oversight of Microsoft for another five years. Most of the 2002 antitrust deal, known as a consent decree, had been set to expire this month.