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Intel's Antitrust Settlement All Clear
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The Federal Trade Commission approved and announced Wednesday the details
of its antitrust settlement with Intel. The surprise deal, which is still
subject to public comment, was struck last week on the eve of a major
antitrust trial. The truce helps establish new limits on the exercise of
market dominance. In the Intel case, the microprocessor giant has agreed
not to withhold -- or threaten to withhold -- technical information as a
way of getting companies to sign away intellectual property rights.
Computer makers such as Compaq, IBM and Dell are highly dependent on Intel
for advanced information when designing new computers that will make the
most of Intel's chips. Intel can still keep information about its chips
confidential for legitimate business reasons (e.g., the information is
being used to design competing chips), but not as a way of muscling
companies into other deals. If only it were so easy for Microsoft.