Re: Copyright upholds Monopoly,was: Microsoft's OS competitors

Mark Lemley <MLEMLEY[_at_]mail.law.utexas.edu> wrote:
>
> The real "problem" of the Microsoft monopoly (if you think it is a
> problem; I'm not yet fully convinced) is simply not one that antitrust
> law is equipped to address. Microsoft controls the OS market not so
> much because of anticompetitive conduct (though there has been some of
> that), but because the market is characterized by network externalities
> sufficiently strong that everyone wants what everyone else is buying.
> Antitrust law can stop the anticompetitive conduct, but I don't believe
> that would eliminate Microsoft's monopoly.

No, but it theoretically could provide that others have equal access to ALL of MS's interfaces on a timely basis. Obviously this isn't going to come from the governement, with, as another poster pointed out, Bill golfing with Bill.

> Requiring compatible interfaces is more attractive, but it is hard to
> see how you could do it without an antitrust lawyer looking over the
> shoulder of each of Microsoft's programmers.

I think this is somewhat extreme. I think that one attorney with the proper training could handle the entire project.

-- 
--------------------------------------------------------------------
The preceding was not a legal opinion, and is not my employer's.
Original portions Copyright 1997 Bruce E. Hayden,all rights reserved
My work may be copied in whole or part, with proper attribution,
as long as the copying is not for commercial gain.
--------------------------------------------------------------------
Bruce E. Hayden                      bhayden[_at_]acm.org               
Austin, Texas                        bhayden[_at_]copatlaw.com