Microsoft Ends Decade of Antitrust Battle By Reed Stevenson and Eric Auchard SEATTLE/NEW YORK (Reuters) - Microsoft Corp. (MSFT.O: Quote , Profile , Research ) said on Monday it had agreed to settle antitrust lawsuits with Novell Inc. (NOVL.O: Quote , Profile , Research ) and an industry trade group, marking the end of a decade-long antitrust battle. Microsoft will pay $536 million in cash to settle an antitrust lawsuit tied to Novell's Netware network software, Novell said, adding that it is also filing a new antitrust suit against Microsoft tied to Novell's WordPerfect software. Novell shares rose 11 percent in early trading. Microsoft also reached a deal with the Computer & Communications Industry Association (CCIA) under which the trade group agreed not to seek a review by the U.S. Supreme Court in its challenge to a lower court's final judgment in the U.S. government's antitrust case against Microsoft. Rivals, many of whom have now settled with Microsoft, claim that the software giant unfairly used its Windows monopoly to promote its own software and reap huge profits. Under the agreement, CCIA said it will not pursue its arguments in favor of the European Union's antitrust suit against Microsoft, which is appealing the EU's ruling. Microsoft said it will pay the legal costs incurred by CCIA against Microsoft stretching back over 10 years. Financial terms of this deal were not disclosed. "The U.S. litigation is now complete," Brad Chase, Microsoft executive vice president and general counsel, said in an interview. Chase said that four of the five major plaintiffs had now settled with Microsoft in Europe. Rival music software maker Real Networks (RNWK.O: Quote , Profile , Research ) continues to seek charges against Microsoft stemming from anti-competitive practices surrounding Windows Media Player. MICROSOFT SETTLEMENT CAMPAIGN NEARS END The settlements with Novell and the CCIA cap 18 months of deal-making in which Microsoft has agreed to settle outstanding lawsuits with Time Warner's (TWX.N: Quote , Profile , Research ) America Online unit, Sun Microsystems Inc. (SUNW.O: Quote , Profile , Research ) and attorneys general from several U.S. states. Massachusetts, the only state that appealed the District Court's final judgment, has indicated that it will not seek a Supreme Court review of its appeal.     Continued ... Quelle "Microsoft Ends Decade of Antitrust Battle" : reuters.com Main page for "Microsoft Ends Decade of Antitrust Battle"