After 10 years, Microsoft will no longer be the subject of antitrust oversight.



From PC World:

Justice Department lawyers said at the hearing that it appears Microsoft has made sufficient effort to comply with the terms of the deal, and therefore the Justice Department will allow the settlement to expire without objection on May 12. Microsoft said that it plans to continue compliance after the deal's expiration, and that it is "pleased" by the results of the hearing.

Microsoft reportedly has some 400 employees working directly on settlement compliance. It's not clear what will happen to these workers--whether they'll be laid off, or transferred elsewhere. Microsoft could benefit from being able to make decisions much quicker, without the need for DOJ regulators to sign off on them.

  Feds Agree to End Antitrust Oversight of Microsoft