Despite the wealth of coverage on the US Justice Department’s
latest move against Microsoft, opinion in favour of either side was
sparse and, where clearly expressed, often conflicting. Those for and
against came from two distinct areas: those directly associated with the
proceedings and those for the consumer. Bill Gates’ ’Right to innovate’
statement was balanced by Robert Bork’s ’The charge against Microsoft’,
in the Wall Street Journal.
Paradox was a key theme, with the thought that ’Microsoft was a victim
of its own success’, a neutral statement proposing that Microsoft’s
sheer size and accomplishments have placed it, somewhat ironically, in a
position of vulnerability. Some also highlighted the confusing reality
that Bill Gates, epitome of the American Dream, is now at odds with the
Justice Department of the largest free market economy in the world.
Almost all agreed the worst possible outcome, the most damaging both for
the IT market in general and the consumer in particular, would be a
drawn-out battle.
Evaluation and analysis by CARMA International. Cuttings supplied by the
Broadcast Monitoring Company. ’What The Papers Say’ can be found
at:www.carma.com.
