A. When the Microsoft lawyers first called me, I said no.

A Microsoft lawyer has been linked to payments for the ads and a related news conference.

But the Microsoft lawyers are mainly focused on exploring the software plans of its rivals.

But a Microsoft lawyer had a different perspective in an interview late last week.

And a Microsoft lawyer said last night that those provisions of the contract were never invoked.

Microsoft lawyers had complained that without more time they could not respond to new evidence the Government has gathered.

"Microsoft lawyers would immediately go to work going around it," he said.

During negotiations between prosecutors and Microsoft lawyers over the weekend, that was one area where the company initially expressed some flexibility.

Microsoft lawyers tried repeatedly to have the case dismissed but without success.

Microsoft lawyers said they expected some opposition to the settlement.