Microsoft yesterday presented a final rebuttal of the US
Government plan to break it up following the finding that Microsoft
violated anti-trust laws. The software giant offered testimony from
top executives of other companies, including Compaq and Dreamworks,
in support of its view that a break-up would harm the US
economy.
However, Microsoft also proposed amendments to the government’s
proposal, including “realistic time lines, resource questions,
foreign government issues, tax questions and other complex issues
the government plan knowingly or unknowingly overlooked,” the
company said.
Microsoft said: “The government’s proposed final judgement is
defective in numerous respects, making the document vague and
ambiguous.” This was the software giant’s final submission to Judge
Thomas Penfield Jackson before he gives his decision on how to deal
with Microsoft.
The ruling is expected imminently and, in view of this,
Microsoft has shelved plans to launch new software which would
provide internet access for any kind of computing device, including
mobile phones and personal digital assistants (PDAs). It has also
postponed Forum 2000, its technology roadmap event, scheduled to
take place today.
