microsoft a monopoly
The potential breakup of the Microsoft Corporation is presently one of the most consuming issues in our society. The government has declared Microsoft a monopoly, and could possibly be broken up into three pieces. This has come as a shock to most everyone, because "Microsoft Windows" is usually the first thing that pops up on almost everyone's computer when you first turn it on. The government says that Microsoft has violated the Sherman Antitrust Act of 1890, which is designed to protect customers against businesses that are fixing prices, rigging bids, or allocating customers. They are doing this by giving away their Microsoft Internet Explorer browser in order to keep Netscape from becoming a competitive force, and it is illegal for a company to undercharge their products for the sole purpose of driving their competitors out of business. Microsoft has tied together their web browser with Windows so that people will have both of their products without having to worry about people buying the Netscape Navigator web browser. (Sullivan) However, Microsoft and Netscape are not the only ones involved in this conflict. America Online, one of the most popular Internet service providers today, is also
However, they state, that Netscape is keeping people from major technological advances, because they aren't as up to date as Microsoft is, and that Netscape's "recent slip in market share is the result of that company's own corporate mistakes and consumer choice, not monopolistic practices" (Sullivan). This is not the first time that Microsoft has had run-ins with the government. Microsoft has succeeded because we have been guided by the most basic American values: innovation, integrity, serving customers, partnership, quality and giving to the community. In 1997, Attorney General Janet Reno suspected that they had violated the agreement, and were still requiring some companies to license and distribute Microsoft Internet Explorer. If this happens, they will skip the lengthy appeals, and try to get this over as soon as possible because of the upcoming presidential elections. If this problem is not stopped it could be a problem for millions of consumers. Whatever turns out in this trial is sure to effect millions of computer users and Microsoft employees all over the world. This is why the government has established laws to prevent this, and has to step in and stop it when it does happen. There are many ethics involved in a large corporation dominating 90% of the market of computer software. This is also a major issue because "it's illegal to leverage a monopoly position in one product to force companies to agree to distribute another of the monopoly owner's products at the expense of the competitor" (Sullivan). The case was dropped with the agreement that Microsoft eased up on the agreements with these companies. Many employees said "'it was the hardest thing that they and the company ever did'" (Meeks) They also stated that it was a "'huge, huge undertaking'" and it caused "a lot of confusion'" (Meeks). As a student at Stanford University states: ". We compete vigorously, but fairly"' (Microsoft).
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