Reaction to the Appellate Court Decision in the Microsoft Case

June 28, 2001

"Microsoft has long given us cutting-edge products that have helped make the American software sector the envy of the world. But the line between aggressive competition and anti-competitive behavior can be difficult to draw. This decision brightens that line. The court has provided a road map that will help high-tech firms stay on the right side of antitrust laws. This will help them push forward with innovations that maintain our leadership in information technology.

"This is a complex case and a complicated decision, but the bottom line is that this is a victory for consumers in several key ways.

"This was a case brought against Microsoft by the United States and 19 states. The court rejected some of the government’s claims but held that the core of the case was correct: the claim that Microsoft had used its monopoly power with its ubiquitous operating system for personal computers in a variety of anti-competitive ways, to the detriment of consumers.

"The court also decided that further proceedings on some claims would be necessary, and that the remedy had to be reconsidered. I hope that the next stage of the process will let consumers get the best quality software at the best prices, as soon as it is available."