WASHINGTON (Reuters) - With a court-imposed deadline looming on Friday, government officials were weighing a proposal to settle the landmark antitrust case against Microsoft Corp. MSFT.O, a source close to the case said on Wednesday.
Officials at the U.S. Justice Department met state attorneys general in the case to discuss a settlement that would allow computer manufacturers wider latitude to load non-Microsoft software on the machines they sell and give other software companies greater access to the code behind Microsoft"s Windows dominant personal computer operating system, the source said.
Justice department officials were said to be comfortable with the settlement terms, but over the next two days they will have to persuade the 18 state attorneys general, many of whom have been pressing for more drastic remedies against Microsoft.
"It (the settlement) is in the process of being pitched," the source said.
Officials at the Justice Department and the attorneys general were not available for comment Wednesday evening. Microsoft spokesman Jim Desler declined to comment on the status of the settlement talks.
"We"re working hard to achieve a settlement and believe settlement would be in the best interest of consumers and the economy, but will not comment on any aspect of these confidential discussions," Desler said.