Whats the impact of the case on Microsoft and the computer industry?
Hard to say. The two sides will argue their case before U.S. District Court Judge Penfield Jackson on Dec. 5. He’ll decide whether to order a trial–which could take several months to get under way. Justice has asked for a $1 million-per-day fine against Microsoft if the court finds that it has violated the consent decree. That’s small change for Microsoft, but the company says it will quickly comply with a court order if it loses rather than pony up fines. That would clearly be a plus for Netscape, but if the case drags on, that buys time for Microsoft to build browser market share. It also buys time for Microsoft to ready Windows 98, which it says will thoroughly integrate Web browsing. Is Windows 98 affected by the government’s petition? The complaint doesn’t address Windows 98 directly, and Justice officials say they’re withholding judgement on whether Windows 98 will violate the consent decree. Justice insiders say any action against Windows 98 will depend on how tightly interwove
