MS settles for 1.1 billion in a California class action. This is not the federal anti trust case but a private class action. The settlement amounts to 30% of all the sales revenues of Microsoft in that state between 1995 and 2001. Similar lawsuits are pending in 16 states.

Trial was set for Feb. 24. Maybe getting not another judge to utter the word monopoly was worth 1.1 billion? In all fairness, that amount only exists as long as all involved customers and business take advantage of the rebate vouchers and the actual cost of the settlement, if accepted by the judge, will be lower.

And while we talking of settlements, don’t forget the RIAA one. (Oh, /. already posted his earlier today… too bad, I wrote it, I’M posting it).