Looking through Microsoft's window
Article Abstract:
The U.S. Department of Justice and 17 states attorneys general filed a formal proposal with Judge Thomas Penfield Jackson requesting that Microsoft Corp. be broken up into two separate companies. The proposal cited Microsoft's practice of bundling its Internet Explorer Web browser software with its Windows operating systems as evidence of the company's anti-competitive behavior. Bill Gates, founder of Microsoft, president and CEO Steve Balmer and numerous other employees objected to the government proposal and were confident the original decision against the company would be overturned on appeal. Gates said the government's "old economy" approach in determining his company's culpability was not consistent with high technology's way of developing and sustaining successful "new economy" businesses.
Publication Name: The Wall Street Journal Western Edition
Subject: Business, general
ISSN: 0193-2241
Year: 2000
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Looking through Microsoft's window; on the firm's sprawling campus, it's almost business as usual as talk of breakup brews
Article Abstract:
Microsoft Corp. may be found guilty of violating antitrust and restraint of trade laws, but a recent public opinion poll indicates that 48% of those surveyed do not agree with the U.S. Justice Department's contention that the company should be broken up into two separate entities. Though 42% surveyed agreed the computer software giant was a monopoly, 49% disagreed with the federal government's claim that the software giant violated the law. Despite the company's stock price falling over 40%, company executives and employees are confident that Microsoft will prevail in its antitrust battle with the Justice Dept. and attorneys general from 17 states.
Publication Name: The Wall Street Journal Western Edition
Subject: Business, general
ISSN: 0193-2241
Year: 2000
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Unintended consequences? U.S. plan to split Microsoft might not be that tidy after all, critics complain
Article Abstract:
The proposed federal government breakup of Microsoft Corp. may not turn out to be as easy or clean as the government would like. Critics point to the Justice Deptpartment's proposal dividing Microsoft into an applications software concern and an operating systems company. Specifically, some analysts think that most of Micosoft's executives would move to the applications side, leaving an operating systems concern restricted in terms of growth potential. Another concern is the operating systems side would be left without necessary support products, thus making it less competitive, which goes against the industry trend of high-end products being bundled in order to improve reliability and performance.
Publication Name: The Wall Street Journal Western Edition
Subject: Business, general
ISSN: 0193-2241
Year: 2000
User Contributions:
Comment about this article or add new information about this topic:
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