Antitrust talks founder on Microsoft's 'Desktop': Justice Dept. bargaining never really started

Article Abstract:

Antitrust negotiations between Microsoft and the Justice Department and 20 state Attorneys General did not collapse, as a consensus showed that they never really began. The two-day round of talks only reinforced both sides's definitions of the information-age economy. Discussions had resumed after Microsoft seemed ready to negotiate its dominance of the desktop, averting an expected lawsuit on May 14, 1998. The Government considers this position as crucial from an antitrust standpoint. Not only can the desktop serve as a gateway to the exploding Internet, but additional freedom for PC makers to customize their screens could challenge the Microsoft monopoly. Government officials involved with the discussions said Microsoft then reversed itself after talks resumed on May 15, refusing to permit significant desktop changes. Microsoft, which said it was considering concessions for PC manufacturers, claimed its desktop represents intellectual property that belongs to the company.

Laws, regulations and rules, Market domination, Market share, Government Regulation

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Microsoft digs in against a 'poorly informed' U.S.; software giant says its antitrust stand is a matter of principle

Article Abstract:

Microsoft hardened its stance against the US Department of Justices' antitrust case against the company by stating that it is impossible to meet the government's latest demand. The government has demanded that Microsoft offer a version of Windows with only the browser removed and with all other functionality in tact. Microsoft said that poorly informed lawyers do not understand software design. Microsoft's latest stand follows a series of court actions on the antitrust case. On Dec 11, 1997, Federal Judge Thomas Penfield Jackson issued a preliminary injunction requiring Microsoft to offer computer makers the option of including only Windows without the Internet Explorer. In response, the company offered three alternatives, which were tantamount to saying that vendors should take Windows and the browser together or be willing to take an outdated OS. The Department of Justice filed a motion to hold Microsoft in contempt of the court.

Justice, Public Order, and Safety Activities, Dept of Justice, JUSTICE, PUBLIC ORDER, AND SAFETY, Usage, Company legal issue, Operating system, Operating systems (Software), Operating systems, Microsoft Windows 95 (Operating system)

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Justice Department views Microsoft from both sides

Article Abstract:

Microsoft and the U.S. Department of Justice are involved in two separate cases, one in which the computer software company and the federal agency are on opposite sides of the case and one in which they are on the same side. The first case is the Justice Department's lawsuit to stop Microsoft from acquiring Intuit, the maker of Quicken personal finance software. The other case is the long-running dispute over a consent decree between Microsoft and the Justice Department which is opposed by a federal court judge and would prohibit certain anti-competitive practices. Analysts say that the two cases are different both on legal and on economic grounds. One case deals with monopolistic practices while the other deals with merger law. Economically, Microsoft is using two different methods to try and retain or improve its hold on the computer software industry.

Industry legal issue

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