Microsoft Antitrust Case
For nearly a decade, the United States Government and well over a dozen states have investigated and attempted to destroy the software giant. Microsoft has been under constant scrutiny ever since 1990 when the Federal Trade Commission (FTC) opened an anti-trust investigation. Three years later, the FTC handed over their investigation to the U.S. Department of Justice. After years of accusations for monopolizing and engaging in anti-competitive acts, Microsoft finally, on May 18, 1998, received a suit for violation of federal anti-trust laws.
Calling for the breakup of the monopoly, the federal government proposed that Microsoft should be split into two companies. One that would control software for Internet Explorer and business applications, such as Microsoft Office, and another separate company that would deal with the Windows operating systems.
Through, in what seemed to be a never ending battle in district courts, Microsoft continued to fight desperately to stay together. On June 28, 2001, after almost 4 1/2 yrs of rigorous litigation, the anti-trust case against Microsoft came to the end of the road as the software giant received an overwhelming victory as the appeals court threw out the breakup order.
Although the Saga is finally over for Microsoft, the breathe of this case can be understood through an examination of several aspects:
These include: