The United States Department of Justice has extended by two years an oversight period provided for in its antirust settlement with Microsoft:

'The Department of Justice is committed to full and vigorous enforcement of the Microsoft final judgment', said J. Bruce McDonald, Deputy Assistant Attorney General in the Department's Antitrust Division. 'This extension will ensure that companies interested in licensing the communications protocols receive the benefit of complete and accurate documentation for the full period of time provided by the court's final judgment.'

The oversight could continue until as late as 2012 upon application to a court. Regardless of whether a specific oversight is in place, however, it seems fairly clear that Microsoft will face cloe scrutiny from regulators and competitors.

Originally by Ars Technica, 1:50 PM

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