| BUSINESSWEEK ONLINE : NOVEMBER 22, 1999 ISSUE | ||||||||
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| COVER STORY -- THE MICROSOFT RULING
Who Can Sue The Microsoft lawsuits could keep courts and lawyers busy for years Now that Microsoft Corp. has been officially branded a monopoly, it could be open season for civil litigants. Unless a higher court overturns Judge Thomas Penfield Jackson's ultimate ruling or Microsoft settles before Jackson issues a final judgment, then anyone who felt harmed by its tactics could bring suit--even consumers, who purchase Windows separately. But Microsoft's corporate victims have to weigh maintaining good relations with the software giant against possible legal windfalls. Here are some companies that may in fact have a bone to pick legally: NETSCAPE. Microsoft pressured computer makers and Internet-access providers to substitute Internet Explorer for Netscape. So shareholders of America Online Inc., which now owns Netscape, might argue the company should seek damages. SUN MICROSYSTEMS. The ruling says Microsoft undermined Sun's efforts to develop Java, a software program designed to run on any operating system--although Jackson said it was unclear how Java would have fared anyway. A contract dispute over Microsoft's changes to Java is in the California courts. IBM. When Big Blue refused to stop selling software that competed with Microsoft, Bill Gates retaliated by charging higher prices for Windows and withholding marketing and technical support. GATEWAY. The PC maker resisted Microsoft's demands that it stop offering Netscape Navigator as a browser option. Gateway, like IBM, paid higher prices than rivals for Windows as a result. By Stan Crock in Washington _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ BACK TO TOP |
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RELATED ITEMS Does a Breakup Make Sense? COVER IMAGE: Microsoft: Does a Breakup Make Sense? TABLE: No Easy Fixes Who Can Sue Commentary: The Burden of Being a Misunderstood Monopolist So What's in the Cards for Microsoft? TABLE: Reshuffling the Deck Commentary: How Intel Played It Right Commentary: The Lessons of the AT&T Breakup INTERACT E-Mail to Business Week Online | |||
