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Technology Stocks : How high will Microsoft fly? -- Ignore unavailable to you. Want to Upgrade?

To: johnd who wrote (42524)	4/18/2000 8:23:00 PM
From: Captain Jack	Read Replies (1) \| Respond to of 74651

WASHINGTON, Apr 18, 2000 (AP Online via COMTEX) -- Microsoft president Steve Ballmer insisted Tuesday his company acted ``with integrity' and disagreed with a federal judge who ruled the software giant broke the law by abusing its monopoly power. ``We remain convinced that we have a very strong set of factual legal arguments,' Ballmer said Tuesday before an audience at George Washington University. ``It still matters in business what your values are,' said Ballmer, who often gets asked whether the fact that Microsoft is the subject of numerous civil lawsuits is an indication of the company's principles. His answer each time: ``It doesn't matter.' Earlier this month, U.S. District Judge Thomas Penfield Jackson ruled that Microsoft violated antitrust law by illegally using its monopoly power. The case stems from a lawsuit filed by the Justice Department and 19 states. Jackson has scheduled a May 24 hearing on what penalties should be imposed against Microsoft, which will appeal the ruling. Ballmer also told his audience that the federal government is one of Microsoft's top clients. Ballmer's appearance at the trade show came within two hours of a keynote address by Attorney General Janet Reno. Reno made no reference to the Microsoft case, focusing strictly on how the industry and government can work together better to make information technology more accessible to people with disabilities. She noted that about 30 million adults with ``significant disabilities' are out of work or underemployed, even though many of them are ideal for high-tech workers. She said the Justice Department released a report Tuesday that compiled self-evaluations by 81 federal agencies on how accessible their information technology was to the disabled. Reno said the report offered few surprises but provided a starting point ``to define the status quo.' She said agencies must make sure their products are accessible to the disabled before buying or leasing them. Most hold off from checking until a request for an accommodation is made. ``This is a bit like waiting until someone who uses a wheelchair needs to enter your building before you look to see if there are steps that would prevent him from entering,' she said. ``People with disabilities lose out, and we all lose out. Our work is too important to leave anyone behind.'