By | John Oates 31st October 2007 10:09

Judge extends Microsoft oversight till January

As states look for five year extension

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Judge Colleen Kollar-Kotelly has extended US government oversight of Microsoft, which was due to end in two weeks.

Several US states are asking the judge to extend its oversight of Microsoft by as much as five years. The oversight program is a result of the original 2001 antitrust judgement against the software giant.

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Those provisions were due to end 12 November, but have now been extended to 31 January to give the states time to provide evidence that Microsoft is not fully complying with the judgement. Judge Kollar-Kottely now has more time to decide whether Microsoft needs continued watching to ensure it complies with the judgement. Two groups of states have requested an extension to the oversight.

Microsoft has until 6 November to oppose the motion.

Microsoft recently decided not to launch a further appeal against the anti-trust ruling reached in Europe and dropped a similar action in South Korea.