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.