Microsoft has given up its nine-year fight against antitrust regulators in Europe, saying today that it would not challenge a court judgment there and would share technical information with rivals on terms the software giant had long resisted. The agreement was struck in Europe, but the more generous terms for licensing Microsoft’s intellectual property will be extended worldwide. To the extent the new terms enhance competition, consumers could benefit from lower prices and faster innovation in software. http://www.nytimes.com/2007/10/22/technology/22cnd-soft.html?_r=1&hp&oref=slogin