Microsoft Corp chairman Bill Gates told a group of computer consultants in Seattle last week that the computer market continues to grow faster outside the United States, where there is a smaller proportion of users: Gates added the openness of computer hardware and programs has been driving down profit margins for many firms; he said he expected US software firms to continue their global leadership in the industry, although he said the strongest competition abroad is in Japan, where Microsoft employs 120 programmers; he declined to discuss the investigation by the US Federal Trade Commission which has been probing Microsoft; on competition from abroad, he said, Certainly if we run into enough interference from the US government there will be a problem, but I think it’s unlikely… I think this is an industry (where) the US has got a lead (and) the benefits of incumbency in this business are pretty significant; it remains such a competitive industry here in the US, it’s not like we’re getting lazy, he added.
