The Case Against Microsoft

by Fred Hoehn

A very interesting book about the government's case against Microsoft was "World War 3.0," by Ken Auletta.  Author Auletta has been on the Charlie Rose show on PBS, and has written other books.  
The United States Government joined together with some of the states to prosecute Microsoft for monopolistic practices.  Nine million dollars of taxpayer money was spent.

By the end of the book, we don't see what the result of the case was because after Judge Jackson found Microsoft guilty, the next phase was deciding what punishment was to be given to Microsoft.  That process could have taken more than a year.

But that was years ago.  So what punishment was given to Microsoft?  Well, apparently none.  Attorney General John Ashcroft apparently decided to drop the case against Microsoft.

Why, after spending nine million dollars, and after Judge Jackson had found Microsoft guilty, would Ashcroft do that?  

Well, you see, that was at about the time of the 9/11 disaster, and apparently the government felt that it "had a lot on its plate."

But Ashcroft may not have entirely acted on his own.  Perhaps President George W. Bush asked the Attorney General to drop the case.  

Either way, it is not the normal practice, after finding a defendant guilty of a crime, to drop the case without sentencing.

The nation was cheated.  Those who should have punished Microsoft for being guilty of monopolistic practices, and failed to do so, should themselves be punished.  Do they not steal their paychecks?

But there's a God in heaven who will render against Microsoft the judgment that it deserves, and and against John Ashcroft, and against G.W. Bush. 

Fred Hoehn, www.livingwater.bugs3.com