| It’s silly to suggest that msft shouldn’t be allowed to include browser, instant messaging and streaming media software with its operating system. Certainly DOJ can’t expect anyone to believe that a viable company with any longevity, could be based on the selling of a single item of trivial software such as a browser, streaming media, or instant messaging. That’s the stuff of dot bomb dreams. There’s nothing to justify paying extra for a program unless it offers something over and above the simple version which may come bundled with the OS or be downloaded elsewhere for free. I’m running Windows XP and can tell you that Netscape, Realplayer and AOL IM run perfectly. I’m writing this post on WordPerfect 9. Apple Quicktime came pre-loaded on the Windows XP task bar, and the list goes on. For instance Windows XP includes a Windows Moviemaker for people who want to edit their camcorder video. It’s OK for beginners, but as a video hobbyist, I use Adobe Premiere 6.0, which costs a $few hundred. Adobe Premiere 6.0 is worth paying for. Including XP Movieplayer, is anything but anticompetitive. It will decrease the barrier of entry for consumers who want to begin editing. For those who enjoy it enough to advance, that’s new business for Adobe Premiere 6.0. Adobe is well aware of that. Adobe also needs to keep improving in order to remain viable. Some day not too far away, Premiere 6.0 may be considered simplistic enough that it’s worth little to nil. That means Premiere 9.0 had better be worth paying for. DOJ is trying to create a straw man in order to destroy it, most ironically, in the name of the consumer, to whom they are doing the most harm. The appeals court set a high standard when they summed up their opinion on bundling and IE: the district court must show concrete proof that the consumer is harmed, in order for bundling to be considered illegal. In other words, on the bundling issue DOJ lost. |
