Microsoft cash in on antitrust lawsuits

The hundreds of people who rushed to file private antitrust lawsuits against
Microsoft, after a federal judge declared the company an illegal monopoly, were
largely driven by greed and opportunistic visions of cashing in on Microsoft's
riches.

Now they have been cleverly manipulated by Microsoft into a settlement
agreement that will enable Microsoft to do something which would have instantly
sprung yet another government antitrust investigation; flooding the educational
market with Microsoft products and propaganda.

Not only that, the litigants also handed Microsoft a $500 million bonus
profit resulting from the company's accountants ability to write off $1 billion
of software donations that cost the company next to nothing.

One can only hope that the presiding judge will recognize why Microsoft,
which has put up such a tough defense against the government's antitrust case,
was so willing to quickly agree to settle the private cases.

If the settlement is rejected, and with it Microsoft's chances to grab hold
of the educational marketplace, the real Microsoft will probably show up and
tell the lawyers for the private parties to take a hike.