Microsoft, U.S. Officials Hold Antitrust Talks

Microsoft Corp. and Justice Department officials met for more than three hours without reaching any agreement to head off a broad antitrust suit against the software giant. The session, requested by Microsoft, could be the first in a series of discussions leading to an out-of-court resolution of antitrust concerns raised by the government. U.S. Atty. Gen. Janet Reno said that no decision had been made on whether to sue Microsoft. Eleven states are drafting a separate antitrust suit against the company, said people familiar with the suit. Antitrust attorneys said it’s routine for companies being investigated to meet with antitrust regulators to discuss ways of avoiding costly litigation. In recent weeks, Redmond, Wash.-based Microsoft has made conciliatory moves, scrapping business practices that it knew regulators were examining.