| After studying the Microsoft case it seems as though the company has indeed participated in classical anticompetitive business practices. They have bundled software, ousted rivals through unfair means, and dodged the government many times. As the law stands, I believe that Microsoft should face punishment for what it has done. As we look at Supreme Court decisions, however, we should attempt to look at the big picture, and see what is really happening. If we do so we see that the nature of the computer business is different from any other business the government has had to deal with in its long history of making monopoly laws. I think that the Supreme Court is going to have to do much more than punish Microsoft. The operating system market naturally develops monopolies for many reasons, and if Microsoft does loose its power, another company will surely take its place. The actual computer business environment must be changed, or we should let the monopolies that develop stand. If the computer business continues to boom as it has in the last few years it seems certain that the government will have to do something to change the laws. Changing Microsoft may be necessary at the present time, but in the long run we must change the laws and the ways we look at monopolies. |
