So, 90% of market share should not be counted as monopoly. Say, if Shell Oil company sell its gas for 2C per gal, while the other Oil companies still sell for $1.25 / gal, Shell will immediately gain the market share and gradually increase to 100% of the market . However,
after Shell Oil gain 100% of the market share , and than increase the price to $1.25 per gal as the other Oil company, Shell's market share will drop immediately, If that is the case , then I do not think Shell has a monopoly because of its gaing market share by droping the price to 2C. The same for Hi Tech companies, Say if SUN Microsystem can offer a OS which had better performance / price than window,
say, 10 to 1, then Sun will gain the market share and gradually replace Microsoft as the dominate market player in OS, say 90%,However, after Sun gain the majority of the market share , and Sun stop R&D to continue improve its products, as a result , the performance/ price ratio drop to a level which is equal or much lower than that of Window, and as a result Sun's OS market share starts to errode , If that is the case , then I do not think Sun own a monopoly in the OS market even it currently own 90% of the OS market. Another example, say MERK invented a new drug which can 100% cure cancer, and it is the only sole supplier of this drug, as a result MERK own 100% of the market on this product, a cancer patient has no choice but go to MERK to buy this product , no matter what price MERK ask for , then I would say MERK own a monopoly on this product in certain market in certain time .
If you look at Microsoft's case , well, I do not see it fit the model of monopoly at all. Microsoft is always threaten by similar products from other companies, we all know OS2, MAC, Solor from Sun, Linx,
and the network computer which will not need an OS, the navigator ...etc, Microsoft is not in short of competitors, and if it does not continue its R&D effort to continue improve the performance /price , Microsoft may well lose all its market to the competitor overnight, and we all know that is an iron fact. However, unfortunately, the Judge is blind, naive, and had no knowledge , elementary level, of the Hi Tech industry at all, and as a result present such a stupid FOF , well, what can you say ? The only thing I can say is overly expanded political power, and we need a judge who is well educated , and really understand the Hi Tech industry to rule the case , next time !!!!! |
