Microsoft Versus the Department of Justice
In today’s high-tech ultra-fast paced world, there can be no debate as to the importance of personal computers. Personal Computers control virtually every aspect of our daily lives. Businesses, regardless of their size, have local area networks, company Intranets and high-speed wide area networks. Billing, inventory and invoicing would be impossible without help from our Personal Computers. Stocks, bonds and commodities are traded in the markets around the world entirely by computer. The Banking industry relies enormously on Personal Computers for every transaction. Communicating without email, fax transmissions and other forms of computer aided information transfers would be
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This crafty marketing spites the entire concept of competition. It handcuffs the PC hardware manufacturers, who are compelled to submissively promote the Microsoft product line on each and every computer they sell. This is clearly a handicap to third party software vendors like Corel and Adobe. This practice also hurts the consumer by limiting personal choices. Even though there may be far superior products on the market, the PC manufacturing companies are legally obligated to only include Microsoft products.
In 1985 Apple Computer was forced into licensing some of their user interface elements to Microsoft, for incorporation into Windows version 1.0. This license was granted only after Microsoft threatened to discontinue development of Macintosh applications. Microsoft was the leading developer of Mac programs, and without their software, Apple would have been doomed to bankruptcy. Apple had no choice but to give in to Microsoft's demands.
Microsoft also threatened three computer companies over Internet browser contracts. Compaq, Gateway and Micron computers wanted to replace Microsoft's Internet Explorer with another World Wide Web browser. Not only did Microsoft say no, but court records filed in Washington D.C. stated that Microsoft threatened manufacturers seeking to remove its
According to the Department of Justice, Microsoft used its resources and technology to drive other companies out of business, thereby eliminating the competition and creating a monopoly. Without competition, Microsoft was able to set prices and consumer conditions in a way that exceedingly benefited the company while ensuring a decreased amount of new competition because of the proprietary software installed in most PCs. (Competitive Processes, Anticompetitive Practices and Consumer Harm in the Software
Microsoft has developed into an inescapable force within the technological field. Coming from a delayed humble beginning, it has had to devote large sums of money to approach the levels of the founding technological companies. Today, Microsoft controls the market in computer software. How they have achieved this status is what some have come to question. Through “bundling” software programs, manipulating other computer companies, and packaging deals with personal computers, Microsoft has managed to eradicate nearly all competitors in the computer software market (Love, 1997). This near monopoly affects the entire spectrum of classes, including the consumer, other networking providers,
On July 15, 1994, the United States sued Microsoft for unlawfully maintaining its monopoly in the market for PC operating system software. The lawsuit alleged that Microsoft engaged in anti-competitive marketing practices directed at PC manufacturers that distributed Microsoft operating system software preinstalled on its PCs. Microsoft began to levy fines against original equipment manufacturing (OEM) companies who distributed or promoted operating systems other than Microsoft. On August 21, 1995, Microsoft "consented" to a "Final Judgement" against them.
that Microsoft could bundle their web browser with its operating system but would also have to
Microsoft got so into the feel of being a monopoly that they stopped putting
Microsoft Internet Explorer's largest competitor is the Netscape Navigator browser. Paul Maritz, Microsoft's group vice president in charge of the Platforms Group, was quoted in the New York Times as telling industry executives (regarding Netscape): " We are going to cut off their air supply. Everything they're selling, we're going to give away for free." Netscape Navigator can now also be downloaded free of charge. Microsoft believed that
found that Microsoft would have to split up itself. They would have to be broken into different
First, Microsoft ‘encouraged’ Compaq, Apple, and other computer manufacturers to promote only Internet Explorer, and to make that the default browser on their PC. This encouragement came in the way of threats to eliminate or delay licensing of operating systems, providing the browser for free to internet access providers, and bundling the software with the operating system under the guise of interactive ease for the consumer. This manipulation led to an increase in the browser’s sales by 45 to 50%, which paralleled the decline Netscape experienced in their market sales in 1998.6
Third, the licensing agreement prevented OEMs from modifying the PC’s boot sequence, which in turn stopped many OEMs from inserting ads for Internet access providers (IAPs) because many IAPs at the time relied upon IE’s competing browser, Netscape. These licensing restrictions, according to the Court, “…represent uses of Microsoft’s market power…The restrictions therefore violate § 2 of the Sherman Act” (United States v Microsoft, 2001)
would give them a less harsh antitrust penalty. Microsoft decided to create a settlement with the
The court had to decide whether this action by Microsoft was a legal move that provided
The case against Microsoft was brought buy the U.S. Department of Justice, as well as several state Attorneys General. Microsoft is accused of using and maintaining monopoly power to gain an unfair advantage in the market. The case has been under observation for a long time, but the Justice department is having trouble coming up with substantial evidence against Microsoft. Specifically, the Department must prove:That Microsoft has monopoly power and is using it to gain unfair leverage in the market.And that Microsoft has maintained this monopoly power through "exclusionary" or "predatory" acts(Rule).Some say that Microsoft is only taking advantage of its position in the market and using innovative marketing strategies
in the most part, states that Microsoft is truly dismantling the competitive market. IBM and Apple created OS/2 and the Mac OS, respectively. Because of this “barrier of entry,” these top companies have not been able to “compete effectively with
The patterns I see with Microsoft’s reactions to competition is that they rely heavily on the fact that they are leaders in the field of operating systems and they use this monopoly as leverage on what they give out to their consumers with their “bundling capabilities” (Rivkin 4). In the past I believe they have been successful against competitors even though they have gotten into legal trouble while doing it. This is because even after the law suits they still remained ahead of the pack in market shares.
Microsoft (MS) is a multinational computer technology corporation that develops, manufactures, licenses, and supports a wide range of software products for computing devices. In the mid 1990’s, Microsoft held the monopoly in the production of Operating Systems (OS) for personal computers (PC). When their monopoly was threatened by Netscape, MS began bundling the Internet Explorer (IE) web browser with Windows, using cross-promotional deals with internet service providers (ISP), and prevented PC makers from customizing the opening screen showing Microsoft. These actions, which some view as illegal and unethical, dissolved any competition, raised the barriers of entry and inhibited