Now a day's when one hears the words "Anti-trust Law", everyone automatically thinks about the Anti-trust Lawsuit against the Microsoft Corporation. But many people wonder what exactly has Microsoft done to bring up these charges, and how does this law apply to Microsoft?
             To start with, the economy found with in the United States, is one that is dependent on competitive competition, and on the operation of a multiple market force. In other words, it is the condition of which there is economic rivalry among firms of both production and services. In order for this competition to remain, Congress felt it nessisscary to pass a law in order to keep this competition equal among all parities.
             This first act, which still remains the most important, is the Sherman Act. The most important parts of this lawsuit can be found in Sections One and Two of the Sherman Act.
             Section One of the Sherman act prohibits "contracts, combinations, and conspiracies in restraint of trade." Section Two prohibits "monopolization, attempts to monopolize, and conspiracies to monopolize." Restated, Section One's focus is on the collisions among firms which are to be acting on an independent basis while making, basic decisions within the business realm. Section Two, on the other hand, focuses on the single-firm domination of a market, and the prohibition of such a firm.
             On July 15, 1994, the United States commenced an action against the Microsoft Corporation under Section Two of the Sherman Act, for unlawfully maintaining its monopoly in the market for the personal computer (PC) operating system. The complaint alleged, among other things, that Microsoft had engaged in anti-competitive agreements and marketing practices directed at OEM's (or Original Equipment Manufacturers). These agreements included contracts that required OEM's to pay Microsoft for each non-Microsoft operating systems that they distributed and long-term agreements that required...