Underwriting the Internet

Chapter 6 Microsoft Curbed

On June 7, 2000, Microsoft Corporation was found to have repeatedly violated the Sherman Antitrust Act by decision of a federal district court, which ordered the breakup of the software company. A year later, an appeals court vacated the order even though it upheld that the company had abused its monopoly "in its entirety" in the desktop computer business. Thus the epic encounter between the U.S. government and the house that Bill Gates built appeared to reach a zero-sum conclusion, further diluted by the myriad claims of victory in an industry that was rapidly reshaping the world. What did go forward, however, was the black stain of monopoly power abuser indelibly stamped on Microsoft that would give it pause should ...