By Suzanna Kerridge, 11 January 2002 15:05
NEWS The controversial 'PCs for schools' deal proposed as a settlement of the class action anti-trust suits filed against Microsoft could be decided upon today. US District Court Judge J Frederick Motz had set a deadline for 5pm EDT yesterday for the two sides to thrash out remaining objections to the deal before he handed down a judgement. California has already rejected the deal and asked to be made exempt. The state attorneys complained the settlement was reached without their input. The multi-million dollar agreement could see hundreds of millions invested in hardware and software for some of the poorest US schools. The settling states have described it as a creative solution. However, Californian state lawyers claim the deal is a legal ruse to further extend Microsoft's dominance in the PC market. They are demanding money be paid back to over-charged consumers. But the settling states have rejected this claim, stating that if Microsoft were to divide the money between the complainants, consumers would receive as little as $10 each. Judge Motz will give his ruling later today as the issues could not be resolved out of court.
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