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08-27-2004, 09:32 PM
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http://www.mercurynews.com/mld/mercurynews/news/breaking_news/9517408.htm
http://www.reuters.com/newsArticle.jhtml?type=businessNews&storyID=6093042
Several California cities and counties, including San Francisco and Los Angeles, sued Microsoft Corp. Friday, accusing the software giant of illegally charging inflated prices for its products because of monopoly control of the personal computer operating system market.
The local governments are asking a judge to make the case a class action on behalf of all California cities and counties. If a judge approves the lawsuit as a class action and Microsoft is found liable, the Redmond, Wash. company could be liable for many millions of dollars, perhaps billions.
"It's anticompetitive, it's predatory, and it denies consumers, and in this case taxpayers, the benefits of innovation that a free marketplace should provide," said San Francisco City Attorney Dennis Herrera. "Taxpayers no less than consumers have been victimized by Microsoft's misconduct, and we are seeking a just resolution with our lawsuit today."
http://www.mercurynews.com/mld/mercurynews/news/breaking_news/9517408.htm
http://www.reuters.com/newsArticle.jhtml?type=businessNews&storyID=6093042
Several California cities and counties, including San Francisco and Los Angeles, sued Microsoft Corp. Friday, accusing the software giant of illegally charging inflated prices for its products because of monopoly control of the personal computer operating system market.
The local governments are asking a judge to make the case a class action on behalf of all California cities and counties. If a judge approves the lawsuit as a class action and Microsoft is found liable, the Redmond, Wash. company could be liable for many millions of dollars, perhaps billions.
"It's anticompetitive, it's predatory, and it denies consumers, and in this case taxpayers, the benefits of innovation that a free marketplace should provide," said San Francisco City Attorney Dennis Herrera. "Taxpayers no less than consumers have been victimized by Microsoft's misconduct, and we are seeking a just resolution with our lawsuit today."