The Reasonable Geek Test upside.com
Upside is usually fairly Microphilic, so this article is somewhat unexpected from them. Not bashing, but it's about Nader's conference and it doesn't bash him either, which is a surprise. Of course, from what I read by Nader after his conference, he's sharper than I thought. There's a bunch of other links on the side too, I haven't checked them out yet.
The general consensus was that Microsoft failed the "reasonable geek" test by beating up on less powerful companies in a number of ways. These included coercive licensing arrangements (forcing OEMs to pay fees even for machines on which they do not install Microsoft's OS). Then there was coercion of Internet service providers (contract language that says they cannot even imply an alternative browser is available, or the ISP will be pulled from the "connection wizard" in Windows). And finally, there's the bundling of content with Windows (such as Microsoft getting PC makers to package Encarta with new PCs until it achieves No. 1 ranking in its market, then pulling it from the bundle and selling it as a separate product). And that doesn't even include Microsoft's actions to leverage its OS dominance into browser dominance.
Once again, alas poor Britanica. Of course, we know Encarta is #1 because Microsoft understands the New Media better than anyone, not because of the usual sleazy OEM arm twisting. Anyway, it's very important that Encarta be #1, so the properly Orwellian Microsoft version of history has wide distribution. Bill Gates is loved by one and all for his generous philanthropy. He's my hero, you know.
The key argument against Microsoft (with which the DoJ apparently now agrees) is that in violation of section 2 of the Sherman Act, Microsoft has willfully used monopoly power in one market to gain competitive advantage in a second, even though its leverage was legally attained. And while Nader's conference wasn't designed to resolve the issue, it is a step toward establishing the idea that something can be done about it--that this uniquely American but almost moribund law could actually be enforced.
Poor Bill, his buddy Charles "Rick" Rule just couldn't stay at the helm of the antitrust division quite long enough. Now, he's got Urowsky daring DOJ to revive Sherman, and it sorta looks like they might just take up the challenge. Where will it go? Who knows, but I doubt this monkey will be off Bill's back any time soon. Couldn't happen to a nicer guy, too, right?
Cheers, Dan. |
