Judge's decision nears Microsoft settlement
bayarea.com | at | by Mike
Nearly a year has gone by since Microsoft and the federal government proposed a settlement of their four-year antitrust battle. California and eight other states have fought on, arguing the settlement wouldn't go far enough to prevent the company from stifling competition. Soon, U.S. District Judge Colleen Kollar-Kotelly will decide if the settlement serves the public interest or if Microsoft should face stricter sanctions sought by the holdout states. Microsoft has portrayed itself in the past year as a kinder, gentler software giant, touting its compliance with the settlement terms even before the deal becomes official. Yet critics say the past year provides even more evidence of the need to rein in the company.