As the legal battle between Microsoft Corp and the US Department of Justice deepens over the software giant’s alleged monopoly, the rest of the industry is watching with great interest and as time progresses is starting to air its own opinions. UK electronic commerce software company JCP Computer Systems Ltd has declared the whole business a red herring. JCP’s managing director John Paleomylites says you can’t blame Microsoft for bundling Internet Explorer with Windows, and points out that many purchasers expect the two to come together, and besides which most users don’t care what browser they are using. A choice between two browsers, Microsoft’s or Netscape’s is hardly competition, it’s a duopoly, said Paleomylites. He went on to say: The real issue here is whether Microsoft can be allowed to dominate the much larger market for Internet application software. The DoJ’s intentions are good, but because it doesn’t fully understand the way that Internet technology is developing, it’s missed the point. Winning the browser war does not equate to control of the internet. This is a case of confusing the Internet for the web, and vice versa, on a grand scale. Paleomylites goes on to say: The DoJ’s decision to proceed with the anti-trust case will earn it column inches but make little difference to the future Internet software market. The web, and the Browser, is not the internet, it’s only one way to use it and one that’s already showing limitations when it comes to delivering serious business functionality. In fact, by centering the argument on the browser, the DoJ is paying Microsoft the ultimate compliment in reducing the internet dominance debate to a single piece of software on top of the Windows platform. This plays into Microsoft’s hands, focusing all press attention into an area where it’s already won the battle. What the DoJ should be doing is taking steps to ensure that as the internet matures beyond the browser model, no single company should be allowed to dominate the way Microsoft has been allowed to control the desktop.
