Re: [PLUG] MS Outlaws?

["Arthur S. Alexion" <arthur@alexion.com>]

At 10:54 PM 2/17/2002 -0500, you wrote:
> On Sun, 2002-02-17 at 22:27, eric@lucii.org wrote:
> > A monopoly is not necessarily 100%.
> > They don't have to BE a monopoly - just act like it.
> > Microsoft used it's overwhelming market share to perform monopolistic
> > activity.
>
> Uhhmmm ... no. It's not illegal to BE a monopoly; it is illegal to abuse
> your monopolistic power to stifle competition. There are examples of
> monopolies - PECO is still a monopoly in this area, in terms of
> providing electricity, even tho there are other firms doing it, PECO has
> the overwhelming market share, still.

The PUC (PA Public Utilities Commission) exists so that de facto monopolies 
do not abuse their position.  Even though the regulators have opened up the 
electricity *generation* market in PA, PECO still has a de facto (and 
heavily regulated) monopoly on the lines.  Could you imagine MS' reaction 
to PUC-type regulation of Windows, with competition in the apps market?

Art




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Art Alexion                                 mailto:arthur@alexion.com
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