Google's argument that Internet Explorer 7 gives Microsoft an unfair search-market advantage didn't fly with the U.S. Department of Justice. The DOJ ruled that IE 7 allows for customer choice, in that users will be able to set any search engine as their default (even though IE will ship with MSN as the preferred choice). But the DOJ isn't handing Microsoft nothing but victories. On Friday, the DOJ requested that Microsoft be required to provide communication-protocol information through 2009, rather than 2007, as previously stipulated. Microsoft execs said they had no problems in extending the protocol-information date.