MICROSOFT HAS had a nasty surprise in the mail from m"learned friends representing the winners of the anti-trust case that the behemoth paid more than $1.1 billion to settle [Surely Seattle? Ed]. It transpires that the briefs did not provide their services on a cheap rate and are now demanding that the softly spoken and reserved MS CEO Steve Ballmer open his cheque book and pay them $258 million.
Under the settlement struck last year, Microsoft agreed to pay vouchers to 13 million California businesses and consumers, with any unclaimed amount going to the state"s school system. Microsoft was also told that they would have to foot the legal bill for the victor"s lawyers. But Vole briefs were back in court this week to protest at some of the costs that m"learned friends on the other side a firm were trying to charge.