The Iowa consumer class action case against Microsoft has officially begun.  Roxanne Conlin began her opening statements Friday.  Her case will include nine separate stories about how Microsoft has undercut competitors and acted illegally.  She will focus not only on IBM and Linux but also lesser known companies such as Go Computers and Acer Co.  Conlin’s opening will actually take several days.

Microsoft lawyer, Rich Wallis, says the anticompetitive activites Conlin complains about are all in the past.  He says the company has not violated the law since it agreed to a consent decree with the federal government in 1999.

Check out this Des Moines Register story written by David Elbert for the details.