Should the government break up Microsoft?

Essay by Anagrin December 2004

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Should the government break up Microsoft? I would have to say that my answer to this question is a strong and resounding NO! The debate of whether or not Microsoft is a monopoly has been floating around for quite some time now. Personally, I do not believe Microsoft is attempting to monopolize the computer industry, rather, I believe Microsoft simply has a better line of products than any other company. If you take into consideration the actual definition of the word monopoly which according to dictionary.com is - Exclusive control by one group of the means of producing or selling a commodity or service. There is no way Microsoft could ever be a Monopoly.

Over the past decade or so, Microsoft has been on the defending side of numerous court cases and law suits claiming that Microsoft is conducting monopolistic business practices. I for one do not understand where these businesses get the idea that Microsoft is using tactics that are causing them to have exclusive control over the information technology field.

To me, exclusive control means that no other information technology business has the means of producing or selling information and technology commodities. In other words, that is what would be required to happen in order for Microsoft to be considered a monopoly. That simply is not the case.

Rather than conducting monopolistic practices, I believe in all actuality that Microsoft is in fact practicing very good business. We are in a free market society. In other words, every business has the same opportunity for success. No one business has any distinct advantages over the next. It is quite simple really. No one dictates what consumers buy and who they buy it from, therefore, the business with the best product is going to attract the most customers.