A US district court on Friday dismissed 38 cases against Microsoft
that sought to represent millions of PC owners who argued that they
had been overcharged for its Windows operating system. The
Washington judge ruled that state laws protect Microsoft because
its products were distributed by others.
Most copies of Microsoft's operating system are sold to computer
manufacturers. The computers containing Windows are then sold to
retailers, then to the consumers, making them indirect purchasers
of Windows. Microsoft has successfully argued that indirect
purchasers have no remedy against it in cases brought in Baltimore,
Hawaii, Iowa, Kentucky, Nevada and Oregon and now Washington.
According to a report in WSJ.com, over 80 such lawsuits are
still pending.
Microsoft’s appeal in the government antitrust case is scheduled
for February. Many speculate that the new administration of George
W. Bush will favour Microsoft, which could lead to the case being
settled or dropped according to how the appeal court rules.
