Microsoft antitrust judge orders settlement talks

Kelly McNeill writes: “Newly assigned U.S. District Judge Colleen Kollar-Kotelly on Friday ordered both sides in the long-running Microsoft antitrust case to enter into intensive settlement negotiations to resolve their four-year battle prior to the start of hearings on potential sanctions against the software giant. In a status hearing Friday, Judge Kollar-Kotelly told government and Microsoft lawyers that they have until November 2nd to strike an agreement. Otherwise, she said, hearings will begin in March on the sanctions to be placed on Microsoft for antitrust violations.”