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BUSINESS WEEK ONLINE
May 7, 1998
THE COPS CONVERGE ON MICROSOFT
Justice is ready to pounce on Win98, as state AGs map their own attack
By the time Bill Gates assembled 60 business associates on May 5 to help him
stage a last-minute public plea for mercy from trustbusters, the clock was
running out. Barring a last-minute settlement, BUSINESS WEEK has learned,
the Justice Dept. is prepared to launch an expansive antitrust action against
Microsoft Corp. within days. Ideally, the agency wants to pounce by May 15,
the date on which the software giant is scheduled to start shipping the Windows
98 operating system to PC makers. In any event, Justice wants to move no later
than June.
businessweek.com@@yqaPx4QAOqnAqwAA/bwdaily/dnflash/may1998/nf80507k.htm
Meanwhile, Justice lawyers are also considering remedies aimed at ''undoing the effects'' of
Microsoft's bundling of the browser--including a sort of affirmative action program to make up for the
ground Netscape lost to allegedly illegal maneuvers by Microsoft. Netscape's market share, which
once was 85%, has dropped to 60%, while Microsoft's share has risen from zero to 40%. Justice is
exploring ways to give Netscape a better crack at PC makers, online service providers, and other
channels of distribution. It might even require Microsoft to include a copy of Netscape Navigator with
Windows, some experts speculated.
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