Fringe Benefits

The Microsoft judge says there aren't any viable alternatives to Windows. What about Linux?

With the possible exception of my marriage license, I've never agreed more with a legal document than I do with Judge Thomas Penfield Jackson's findings of fact in the Microsoft case. Of course he's right when he says Microsoft enjoys a monopoly on the desktop--more than nine out of 10 PCs use Windows. Of course Microsoft used its control of the marketplace to hammer competitors--just ask Netscape. And of course Microsoft could charge more than the fair market price for Windows--and do so for a long time without losing market share. After all, what's the PC user's alternative to Windows? (Apple...

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