Court okays class action suit against MS

SAN FRANCISCO: A California judge on Tuesday allowed a class action suit to

proceed against Microsoft Corp., the first such case to go to trial over charges

that the software giant harmed consumers through its alleged monopolistic

practices.

"Given California law, this ruling was not unexpected," Microsoft

spokesman Jim Cullinan told Reuters after Superior Court Judge Stuart Pollack

approved the suit. "This is just the first step in a very long

process."

The suit, one of a number of such cases in various state and federal courts

around the country, alleges that Microsoft used its dominant market position to

overcharge California consumers for a number of products, including Windows and

Word programs.

Microsoft has recently asked another federal judge to dismiss or consolidate

the class actions suits against it, many of which were filed after US District

Court Judge Thomas Penfield Jackson found that Microsoft violated federal

anti-trust laws and ordered the company split into two. Microsoft has appealed

that ruling.

Cullinan said Microsoft was confident that the California case would

ultimately demonstrate that, through its size and the scope of its offerings, it

has served its customers well. "We believe that in the end of the day it

will be shown that far from harming consumers, the conduct at issue will be

shown to benefit consumers," he said.

(C) Reuters Limited 2000.