Microsoft hampered OS/2, I.B.M. official tells court; curbs on software develvopers are faulted

Article Abstract:

John Soyring, an International Business Machines executive, testified today in the Department of Justice's anti-trust suit against Microsoft Corp. Soyring asserted that IBM's operating system, OS/2, failed to become popular among software developers largely because Microsoft refused to allow its development tools to be used to build applications for other operating systems. Microsoft made counter claims, asserting that OS/2's failure could be traced to design decisions made by IBM and not to any strategic decisions made by Microsoft. The Department of Justice presented additional evidence of monopolistic behavior by alleging that Microsoft sought to stymie the growth and popularity of Java, a platform independent operating system designed by Sun Microsystems, by slightly altering the version of Java that was compatible with Windows, Microsoft's market dominating operating system. The government also presented evidence that the practice of integrating a Web browser with an operating system was an attempt by Microsoft to use its domination of the operating system market to stifle competition for Web browsers.

United States. Department of Justice, Testimony, OS/2 (Operating system), Soyring, John

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Microsoft ordered to provide more antitrust evidence

Article Abstract:

Microsoft has been ordered by a federal judge to relinquish new evidence to the Justice Department prior to the Government's antitrust case against the company. Attorneys representing the Justice Department and 20 states, which have filed the lawsuit, said Judge Thomas Penfield Jackson's ruling will strengthen its case against the software giant. The attorneys said the intend to demonstrate that Microsoft illegally intended to extend its OS market dominance to other areas, including an attempt to coerce other companies into severing ties with Web browser vendor Netscape. An attorney representing Microsoft cautioned that the company would seek to delay the trial's start from Sep 1998 to Mar 1999, in order to prepare a defense against the new evidence. Jackson ordered Microsoft's compliance after determining that the Government would not use the evidence to press new charges against Microsoft.

Company legal issue, Operating systems, Internet access software, Web browser, Web browsers, Market domination, Market share, Litigation, Lawsuit/litigation, Antitrust Issue

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