“The government has already admitted that the breakup of
Microsoft would be ‘dangerous to the economy’s welfare’ and
said the brief. The government
proposal followed Judge Thomas Penfield Jackson's ruling last month
that Microsoft used its monopoly position to illegally crush
competitors, harm consumers and stifle innovation.
Yesterday’s brief was the software company’s official response
to last week’s brief filed by the government which attacked
Microsoft’s claim that it should be allowed to remain intact.
The comments by the government are taken from a 1995 case
against Microsoft. The company quoted from a government filing
which said, “such remedies would not necessarily benefit
competition and would ...act against the public.”
Microsoft argues that the government’s current position has more
to do with punishing the company than protecting consumers.
Representatives of Microsoft and the Justice Department are due
to meet in court tomorrow for a hearing on how the case should
proceed. Microsoft has requested up to six more months to gather
evidence and expert testimony to respond to the government’s remedy
proposal.
