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Justice Department Reported Close to New Microsoft Charges

Latest development may jeopardize release of Windows 98.

By Elizabeth Heichler and Jeanette Borzo, IDG News Service   

PARIS--Microsoft officials in Europe had no immediate comment this morning on a published report that the U.S. Department of Justice probe of Microsoft%squots business practices may result in a new antitrust case being brought against the company by the end of April.

Citing sources close to the investigation, the Wall Street Journal reported today that if the new case goes forward, it would allege %dquotillegal maintenance and extension%dquot of the software giant%squots control of PC operating systems in violation of the Sherman Antitrust Act. It would also include the charge that Microsoft%squots bundling of its Internet Explorer browser with its Windows operating system violates a 1995 antitrust settlement, the report said.

A representative from Microsoft%squots legal department in Paris said he was not aware of a new case from the Justice Department and he would be surprised to learn that Justice was taking final depositions from senior Microsoft officials for the inquiry, as reported in the news article.

Government investigators are hurrying to complete their work before Microsoft releases Windows 98 to PC manufacturers in mid-May, the WSJ reported. Justice Department antitrust chief Joel Klein has not yet approved the filing of a new case, the WSJ%squots sources said.

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