Settlements, Spam, and SCO

Continuing its recent effort to settle antitrust cases, Microsoft signed two agreements with state governments in June 2003 (in addition to its settlement with AOL-see “AOL Truce Reached“). The settlements will end West Virginia’s participation in the federal antitrust case originally brought by the U.S. Department of Justice (DoJ) and could close a separate suit filed by the state of North Carolina. However, antitrust troubles with the European Commission (EC) still loom, as investigators consider new evidence.

The company also filed 15 new suits against spammers and purchased a license for certain Unix-related intellectual property from SCO-a move that may be partly intended to bolster SCO’s claims against Linux.

Massachusetts Lone Holdout in DoJ Case

Following a template developed in previous settlements with California and Florida, Microsoft has signed antitrust agreements with North Carolina and West Virginia. Both states will get vouchers for consumers who purchased Microsoft software in the past, with half of the amount of any unclaimed vouchers going to needy school districts. The vouchers will be worth approximately US$89 million in North Carolina and US$18 million in West Virginia, and West Virginia will receive an additional US$3.3 million in cash and vouchers which will go directly to school districts and be used for consumer education projects and legal fees.