Microsoft and DoJ attorneys battle in Federal court today

[Declan McCullagh <declan@well.com>]

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http://cgi.pathfinder.com/netly/afternoon/0,1012,1616,00.html

Microsoft vs. DOJ Update

   Microsoft finally had its day (or at least two hours) in court this
   afternoon. Its team of lawyers tried to fend off accusations that
   Microsoft unfairly used its operating system's popularity to
   force-feed Internet Explorer to computer makers. Federal judge Thomas
   Penfield Jackson zeroed in on whether or not the browser is, in fact,
   part of Windows 95. "Are you not selling Windows 95 and Internet
   Explorer separately?" he asked. Not to computer manufacturers,
   carefully replied Microsoft's attorney, who said that the evidence
   proves the two products "obviously are" integrated. (For the judge to
   rule that Microsoft is violating a 1995 agreement, Justice Department
   lawyers first have to convince him that Internet Explorer and Windows
   95 are two seperate products, which they tried to do today by waving
   around a shrinkwrapped copy of Internet Explorer 4.0.) The hearing in
   Washington, D.C., federal district court highlighted two wildly
   different views: Microsoft claims the Justice Department is picking a
   fight where none really should exist. But the government's antitrust
   lawyers said today they're fighting to stop the world's largest
   software company from "misusing its Windows power" to squash its
   competitors. Both sides are going to have to wait a while: Judge
   Jackson left the courtroom today without ruling on the case. --By
   Declan McCullagh/Washington