NY Times: Breakup of a Giant Is Seen Reigniting Competition in the Software Business

[ Thanks to Kevin
Reichard for this link. ]

“This will give the industry the kind of start it needs to
restore competition,” said James L. Barksdale, who testified
against Microsoft while serving as chief executive of Netscape
Communications.”

“This proposal is good for Novell,” said Eric Schmidt, chief
executive of Novell, the San Jose, Calif., maker of networking
software. “For a long time there have not been any rules about how
to engage with Microsoft. This proposal gives us some rules with
which we can judge whether competition is increasing and openness
is preserved.””

“In Silicon Valley, some of those most pleased with the
proposed breakup were venture capitalists. For a number of
years… Microsoft executives would… to make annual
presentations. Many venture capitalists… felt that
Microsoft was in effect redlining the computer industry, telling
its competitors where they had opportunities and where they
would be limited by Microsoft competition.”

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