CHARLESTON, W.Va., June 17 (UPI) -- Microsoft Corp. reached a $21 million settlement with West Virginia, ending the state's appeal of the software maker's federal antitrust settlement.
The settlement, advancing Microsoft's mission to put its legal problems behind it, leaves Massachusetts as the last state seeking a tougher remedy against the Redmond, Wash., company for abusing its monopoly position in personal-computer software.
Microsoft recently settled cases with AOL Time Warner Inc. and class-action suits in several states.
The West Virginia settlement follows the decision in November by U.S. District Court Judge Colleen Kollar-Kotelly to approve a 2001 settlement the Bush administration and nine states reached with Microsoft.
The settlement calls for Microsoft to provide up to $18 million to consumers who apply for vouchers to buy computer hardware and software of their choice, the Wall Street Journal reports.
Of the amount consumers don't claim, Microsoft will donate half to "needy schools" and half will revert to Microsoft.
