IP: split MS into 3 identical companies --- but non discriminatory licensing smacks of government regulation

[Dave Farber <farber () cis upenn edu>]

Date: Fri, 15 Jan 1999 22:00:37 -0500
From: James Love <love () cptech org>


Note, in this David Lawsky Reuters story, Judge Bork calls for breaking
MS into three identical companies (similiar to proposals offered by
Oracle's Larry Ellison), and Bork critizes our sugestion that Microsoft
be required to offer non-discriminatory OEM licensing of its Windows,
Windows NT and office products. 

   Jamie Love <love () cptech org>


-- 
James Love, Director, Consumer Project on Technology
P.O. Box 19367, Washington, DC 20036, v202.387.8030 f202.234.5176
http://www.cptech.org/, mailto:love () cptech org


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http://biz.yahoo.com/rf/990115/bim.html

Friday January 15, 6:56 pm Eastern Time

Bork proposes breaking Microsoft in three parts
(Adds Bork background para 3, adds detail para 8) 

By David Lawsky

WASHINGTON, Jan 15 (Reuters) - Former Judge Robert Bork said Friday that
Microsoft Corp.  should be broken into three identical companies at the
end of its antitrust trial. 

``My own opinion is that I think structural relief is probably going to
be required,'' Bork told reporters at a luncheon meeting of ProComp, a
group that approves of the government antitrust charges against
Microsoft. 

Bork represents Netscape Communications Corp., but he emphasized: ``I'm
not speaking for Netscape and I'm not speaking for ProComp ...  I have
not cleared my remarks.''

   [snip]

Last week, James Love of the Consumer Project on Technology proposed
``transparent pricing'' as a remedy, meaning that Microsoft would cease
alleged price discrimination.  That is the practice of charging one
computer company more than another, because Microsoft allegedly prefers
the policies of one company. 

But Bork said he thought that transparent pricing would be a poor
solution. 

He said it smacked of government regulation, unlike a break-up which
would require no continuing government overview.  And he said that there
are sometimes legitimate reasons for companies to charge varying prices. 

  [snip]

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