Microsoft Discussing $1.1 Billion Settlement of Private Suits

Microsoft tentatively has agreed to a five-year project to provide software and computers to more than 14,000 of the poorest schools in the U.S., resolving most of its pending private class-action lawsuits, lawyers and academics briefed on the case said. Many details of the complex agreement still were being worked out, but the estimated cost to Microsoft will be about $1.1 billion, with additional support coming from other contributions, these people said.