About Windows monopoly

Published: 24 September 1999 y., Friday
A government attorney intoned a litany of what he called Microsoft offenses against antitrust laws Tuesday morning before a packed courtroom. David Boies, the lead attorney for the U.S. Department of Justice in its quest to reign in Microsoft practices, focused particularly on a June 21, 1995, meeting at which, he said, Microsoft tried to divide the browser marketwith Netscape Communications. He pointed to notes by then-Netscape chief technology officer Marc Andreessen as proof. "Look at the documents," Boies said. As has become his custom, Boies spoke fluidly, without notes, calling up documents at will to reinforce his points. He highlighted e-mail messages from Microsoft senior vice president Jim Allchin that talk of the company_s need to use Windows as a competitive advantage. "We must use Windows - it_s the one thing they do not have," Allchin wrote. Boies said Microsoft was so intent on using its Windows monopoly that it was willing to hold back new technology from OEM partners, even if those partners -- and, by extension, their customers -- would suffer as a result. In an e-mail message, Allchin wrote that the company should withold certain other technologies in Windows 98 so the company could get its Internet Explorer browser integrated with the OS. There was a market for a separate browser and an OS, but Microsoft not only integrated the browser into Windows, but also "welded it so OEMs and customers couldn_t change it," Boies said. Boies hammered home three points: that Microsoft monopolized the OS market, that it attempted to do the same with browsers --both in defiance of section two of the Sherman Antitrust Act -- and that it practiced unreasonable constraint of trade, a violation of section one. Toward the latter point, he said Redmond, Wash.-based Microsoft entered into exclusive deals with ISPs to distribute and maintain its browser and to refrain from distributing Netscape Navigator. Microsoft will have its turn to present its key points later Tuesday afternoon.
Copying, publishing, announcing any information from the News.lt portal without written permission of News.lt editorial office is prohibited.

Facebook Comments

New comment


Captcha

Associated articles

The most popular articles

EU and Vietnam sign off on a deal that will boost air transport

An aviation agreement has been signed today by the European Union and the Vietnamese authorities which will remove nationality restrictions in the bilateral air services agreements between EU Member States and Vietnam. more »

The EIB celebrates its 30th year of activity in Cyprus with a EUR 180 million financing for urban environment

The European Investment Bank marked the 50th anniversary of the Republic of Cyprus and its 30 years of activity in the country with a public ceremony celebrating the signature of a total of EUR 180 million for urban environment. more »

Tighter rules on government deficits

In response to the financial crisis, the Commission has put forward legislative proposals to strengthen and expand existing tools for coordinating economic and fiscal policy in the EU. more »

SME Finance Forum: Ensuring access to credit and to finance to small businesses

In the first meeting of the SME Finance Forum, possible means to improve the current situation of access to finance were discussed, such as the introduction of a grace period for firms in difficulties, the involvement of credit mediators and improved loan guarantees. more »

The EU budget, a guide

The EU budget is no simple matter, but then no budget ever is. more »

Trichet: Parliament must play a central role in forging the new economic governance model

Parliament will be crucial in avoiding a “lowest common denominator” approach when helping to design the EU's new economic governance architecture, ECB president Jean-Claude Trichet told the Economic and Monetary Affairs Committee on Monday. more »

European Day of Languages 2010: Languages for business

With a multitude of language-related events taking place on or around 26 September, the main themes for this year's European Day of Languages are business and jobs. more »

Commission pays € 1.15 billion in Balance of Payments support to Romania

The EU disbursed today € 1.15 billion to Romania, the third instalment of a € 5 billion loan, which was agreed in May 2009 as part of a multilateral financial assistance package. more »

European Investment Bank supports GBP 250m gas network expansion and upgrade in Scotland and southern England

The European Investment Bank has agreed to lend GBP250 million for the replacement, reinforcement and expansion of the gas distribution networks operated by Scotland Gas Networks and Southern Gas Networks. more »

Fair food prices: new legislation needed, say MEPs

The bargaining positions of all players in the human food chain must be rebalanced, and fair competition enforced by law, to ensure fair returns to farmers and price transparency to consumers, says Parliament in a resolution voted on Tuesday. more »