my reason for breaking up MS and other behemoths has nothing to do with current legal issues. i want to break up ALL organizations that become very large with large pockets that give them political leverage out of proportion to the number of people they represent. in that way, a people's democracy will emerge rather than the current plutocracy. IOW, as i said before, i want 1 voter = 1 vote and not 1 $ = 1 vote. that implies public election financing, public openness (publication of almost all legislative, executive and judicial proceedings at all govt. levels), etc. why do conservatives and U.S. libertarians disagree with these prescriptions? norm ---------------------------------------------------------------------- <Could anyone give me in a short one or two paragraph digest a) what was Microsoft charged with; b) what was it convicted of; and c) what was the remedy proposed. i.e. what sin against neoclassical orthodoxy did it transend.> Very simply, Microsoft was charged with being a monopoly and engaging in anticompetitive behavior. (Under the antitrust laws, you can be a monopoly as long as you do not engage in any anticompetitive behavior.) When it comes down to it, the alleged anticompetitive behavior they are accused of was entering into illegal "tying" arrangements. They told the computer manufacturers (Dell, IBM, Gateway, etc.) that if you want the Windows operating sytem, you have to include the Internet Explorer application with the package (i.e. they "tied" the purchase of Windows, in which they held a monopoly, to the purchase of Explorer, in which they did not have a monopoly, thereby unfairly increasing their monopoly profit). Microsoft did so because they were concerned that if Netscape became too popular, computer users could eventually run their computers straight off the internet and not require Windows. The Judge found that the requirement that Explorer be included with Windows was an illegal tying arrangment and he agreed to the remedy proposed by the Department of Justice -- the separation of Microsoft into two separate companies: (1) one that developes and markets the operating system (Windows), and (2) one that develops and markets applications (Word, Explorer, etc.). David Shemano
