Score one for Microsoft

[jsimons@amadeus.sc.ti.com (Joel Simons Sys_Admin)]

This is an unfortunate development.




http://cnnfn.com/digitaljam/9812/07/microsoft/



NEW YORK (CNNfn) - South Carolina's attorney
            general Monday said the state has withdrawn from
            the federal antitrust suit against Microsoft Corp. 
               State attorney general Charlie Condon said the
            recent merger of America Online Inc. (AOL) and
            Netscape Communications Corp. (NSCP) offered
            evidence that competition is thriving in the computer
            industry. 
               "I can no longer justify our continued
            involvement or the expenditure of state resources on
            a trial that has been made moot by the actions of the
            competitive marketplace," Condon said in a
            statement. "The Internet economy is the place
            where the winners and the losers of this competition
            will rightfully be decided."
               In May, the Justice Department and 20 states
            sued Microsoft for illegally maintaining a monopoly
            in the computer operating systems market and trying
            to extend that monopoly into Internet software.
               Microsoft (MSFT) shares were up 2 at 129-3/8
            in midday trading.