[CLUE-Talk] Legal breaking of the MS monopoly WAS: Re: [CLUE-Tech] HP laptop

[Ed Hill]

On Wed, 2002-01-16 at 18:25, Sean LeBlanc wrote:
> 
> Would you mind doing this? 

No problem.  Here are some recent stories on the topic:

http://www.boston.com/dailyglobe2/015/business/Microsoft_case_key_to_tech_s_future+.shtml
http://computeruser.com/articles/2101,3,1,1,0101,02.html
http://linuxtoday.com/news_story.php3?ltsn=2002-01-02-002-20-OP-MS
http://www.linuxplanet.com/linuxplanet/opinions/3952/1/
http://www.pbs.org/cringely/pulpit/pulpit20011206.html
http://www.netaction.org/msoft/winfish2.html
http://web.siliconvalley.com/content/sv/2001/11/02/opinion/dgillmor/weblog/index.htm
http://www.cptech.org/at/ms/rnjl2kollarkotellynov501.html
http://www.ccianet.org/papers/ms/sellout.php3
http://www.gnu.org/philosophy/microsoft-antitrust.html

and the addresses for any comments (which they request that you send by
email or fax) are:

  E-mail: microsoft.atr at usdoj.gov
  In the Subject line of the e-mail, type "Microsoft Settlement."

  Fax: 1-202-307-1454 or 1-202-616-9937

  Mail :
    Renata B. Hesse
    Antitrust Division
    U.S. Department of Justice
    601 D Street NW
    Suite 1200
    Washington, DC 20530-0001




> I only ask because I must be missing something here - isn't this something
> for the free market to settle? If you like Microsoft, buy and use Microsoft.
> If you don't, use an alternative. Where is the M$ tax being paid if you are
> buying from a Linux-friendly vendor, or if you are constructing your own
> machine? 

Doesn't sound like you're missing much.  If you believe that monopoly
problems should be sorted out by the market, then don't ask the
government to codify or enforce antitrust laws.  Ok, thats a consistent
view.  It discounts plenty of trade law currently on the books, but its
still a view to which you are entitled.

While I also have strong libertarian-leanings, I do think there are
circumstances which the law (and government) should try to prevent.  And
I think the situation with Microsoft warrants intervention.  In my
opinion, Microsoft has gone too far in their efforts to force out
competition and be the only option in many markets.  As the trial
demonstrated, they clearly broke existing antitrust laws.  And I don't
think the situation (eg. your mention of broadband/ISPs) is getting any
better under market forces alone.

Thus, I would like to see the courts (1) appropriately punish Microsoft
for flaunting existing laws, and (2) make it easier for competitors to
enter and compete in markets that Microsoft has come to dominate.

Ed


-- 
Edward H. Hill III, PhD
Post-Doctoral Researcher   |  Email:       ed at eh3.com, ehill at mines.edu
Division of ESE            |  URL:         http://www.eh3.com
Colorado School of Mines   |  Phone:       303-273-3483
Golden, CO  80401          |  Fax:         303-273-3311
GnuPG Key ID:  1E76F123    |  Public key:  http://www.eh3.com/eh3.gpg
-------------- next part --------------
A non-text attachment was scrubbed...
Name: not available
Type: application/pgp-signature
Size: 232 bytes
Desc: This is a digitally signed message part
Url : http://cluedenver.org/pipermail/clue-talk/attachments/20020116/5ee6465f/attachment.bin