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Technology Stocks : COMS & the Ghost of USRX w/ other STUFF -- Ignore unavailable to you. Want to Upgrade?

To: jhild who wrote (15472)	5/18/1998 1:36:00 PM
From: Moonray	Read Replies (1) \| Respond to of 22053

Microsoft Is Sued by States, Federal Government Washington, May 18 (Bloomberg) -- U.S. and state antitrust enforcers filed lawsuits against Microsoft Corp., accusing the world's largest software maker of using its market dominance to stifle competition and crush Netscape Communications Corp.'s rival Internet browser. In two separate lawsuits filed in Washington-based federal court, the U.S. Justice Department and 20 state attorneys general plus the District of Columbia alleged Microsoft had systematically used anti-competitive practices to protect its monopoly in PC operating systems. Its Windows 95 system runs more than 90 percent of the world's new personal computers. ''Microsoft used its monopoly power to develop a chokehold on the browser software needed to access the Internet,'' said U.S. Attorney General Janet Reno at a Washington press conference held just minutes after the suits were filed. ''Most importantly it has restricted the choices available for consumers in America and around the world.'' The suits seek a preliminary injunction -- a court order -- to force Microsoft either to ''unbundle'' its Internet Explorer from its Windows 98 operating system or include Netscape Communications Corp.'s Navigator with its latest operating system, shipped to PC makers today. ''If Microsoft insists on including its browser on Windows 98, it should also include Netscape's browser,'' Reno said. ''If it doesn't, it must unbundle its own browser.'' The suit also seeks to give PC makers the right to install the computer screen first seen after a computer's initially turned on and to bar Microsoft from forcing contractual provisions on Internet service and content providers. The company already has changed many of these, but the lawsuit would seek to stop any future contracts with similar constraints. Justice Department antitrust chief Joel Klein said the division's investigation of other Microsoft products continues. The suits contain evidence that Microsoft tried to avoid competing in the browser market against Netscape by offering to enter into an illegal conspiracy with the company, Klein said. ''In a nutshell, what the evidence shows, is Microsoft -- from Bill Gates on down -- quickly realized that Netscape's Internet browser navigator held a real threat to Microsoft's windows monopoly,'' Klein said. When Netscape refused Microsoft's offer to split up the market, he said Microsoft employed a strategy intended to ''cut off Netscape's air supply.'' Microsoft shares fell nearly 4 percent in early trading today. Shares dropped 3 5/16 to 86 1/8, losing more than $8.1 billion in value. In London, U.S. President Bill Clinton said the Microsoft case has ''significant'' economic impact but declined to discuss the suit. He said he has faith in the U.S. Justice Department's antitrust division. The broad court challenge to Microsoft's business practices came just two days after settlement talks aimed at averting lawsuits broke down. Microsoft Chairman Bill Gates called a news conference to respond to the suits. He has accused antitrust enforcers of working to help Netscape Communications promote its Netscape Navigator browser. ''When they demanded that, we asked them to repeat it out loud,'' Gates told Time Magazine. ''The government was trying to advantage a competitor of ours. That's really unprecedented.'' o~~~ O

To: jhild who wrote (15472)	5/18/1998 3:27:00 PM
From: Scrapps	Read Replies (2) \| Respond to of 22053

Jhild, the two corners in this DOJ/MSFT fight don't look well matched...government team needs to eat their wheaties I'd say and wake up...what are they saying in regards to Netscape...is MSFT suppose to buy them up or just adopt them as a step child? Oh hey!! Did you here that now when you buy a new Caddy....they have to throw in a free Yugo. <gg> Now you get the drift of what Clinton was saying earlier...it's going to be hard for him to support the company with the biggest market share of Internet Browsers in use today...wouldn't you say? Yeah it's going to be tough in court for the administration to support Netscape. All kidding aside...at the news conference the government folks looked good really....like a bunch of well dressed Mafia types.