Microsoft Antitrust
I have been asked to provide my opinion regarding Microsoft anti-trust case brought before the Supreme Court of the United States. My opinion, admittedly not a popular one, is one of no violation on the part of the Microsoft Corporation. My decision is based upon review of evidence in the case as well as trends in the competitive marketplace. Described and detailed in the subsequent paragraphs are the contributing factors involved in the construction of my decision dealing with the charges brought against the Microsoft Corporation. The factors deal with the charges themselves as well as the condition of the relative market as a result of the actions or practices engaged in by the Microsoft Corporation. The first body of factors that my opinion deals with is the charges brought against the Microsoft Corporation (to be herein referred to as MC). In order for the MC to be found guilty the court must find that they were in fact violating Section 2 of the Sherman Act, 15 U.S.C. 2, by engaging in a course of exclusionary conduct to protect and maintain its personal computer (PC) operating system monopoly; that the MC violated Section 2 of the Sherman Act, 15 U.S.C. 2, by attempting to monopolize the Market for Web browsers; that
In my opinion the MC did not engage in exclusionary conduct to protect and maintain its personal computer operating system monopoly. When congress passed the Russell, Mora. The real issues behind the Microsoft Anti-Trust lawsuits. http://russell.mora.org/work/closed-ms.num As demonstrated by this table the introduction Microsoft Windows 95 and Internet Explorer did no arm to consumers. It did exactly the opposite, exactly what competition is supposed to, it lowered the cost of the web browser as well as introduced new functions. Microsoft raised the bar on how functional and accessible a web browser should be and in turn forced Netscape to produce a superior product in order compete. In a sense Microsoft built the better mousetrap and it was, and is, up to Netscape to top it. On top of this issue is the fact that AOL (which now owns Netscape) and Netscape share roughly 65% of the share of Internet users, while Microsoft sits at around 33%. This is evidence to the fact that Microsoft now not crushing competition but actively participating in it. Windows Price $63(including IE 1) $65(including IE 5) Number of WebUsers About 3 million More than 100 million Average Browser Cost Navigator1: More than $15Internet Explorer 1: $0 Communicator 4.5: $0Internet Explorer 5: $0 ELIOT SPITZER, ET AL., PETITIONERS V. MICROSOFT CORPORATION, ET AL. NO 00-261 These practices, which were mere contracts with business associates and competitive practices, "foreclose no-one from full and complete access to the many available channels for the distribution of software providing web browsing functionality and are contracts for the promotion of commerce" (Microsoft, First Defense). It insistence to have Internet Explorer shipped with windows was and is an attempt as with any business to simply expand. Internet Explorer is completely free. Anyone can get it either from a download from the Internet or when they buy a new computer. Consumers, though, do have a choice. If a consumer purchases a computer with Internet Explorer loaded on Windows they have the option of downloading, free of charge, the Netscape Navigator browser software, America On-line browser software, or any others they want and run that software program on top of the Microsoft Windows operating system. Microsoft hasn't put into place any structural or technological limit!
Some common words found in the essay are:
Microsoft Windows, Sherman Act, Netscape Navigator, Internet Explorer, Microsoft Corporation, Explorer Windows, Browser Windows, Russell1 Netscape, ICPs Barksdale, Microsoft MS, operating system, internet explorer, windows operating system, web browser, et al, microsoft corporation, sherman act, windows operating, exclusionary conduct, browser software, system monopoly, operating system monopoly, supreme court united, sherman act 15, act 15 usc,
Approximate Word count = 1603
Approximate Pages = 6 (250 words per page double spaced)
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