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It's not hard to imagine that certain Microsoft execs had started a countdown; as things stood, the Department of Justice would only be monitoring their company for about seven more months.  A new development has pushed the antitrust oversight period's end date out to May 12th, 2011, however. 

According to a DOJ press release, "The Department said that an extension is necessary to ensure the quality of the technical documentation Microsoft provides to licensees."  The organization apparently finds Microsoft's willingness to discuss server technology to be of particular interest.

What's more, the DOJ made clear that it can extend the oversight period another time, all the way until November 2012.  Which Microsoft, its investors, and those who accused the software giant of monopolistic behavior in the first place may not find encouraging.

Still, Microsoft's not grumbling.  Rather than have a thousand lawyers start filing objections, the company just agreed to the current 18-month extension.  This puts Microsoft in a relatively positive light, making it look obliging instead of obstinate and secretive.

One last note: Microsoft's stock doesn't seem to have been affected much by the matter, as it's currently down less than shares of both Yahoo and eBay.