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Thursday, 09 August 2007 |
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What will Microsoft do with the US$1.5bn it no longer needs to pay to Alcatel-Lucent in its legal argument? Sadly, “choke on it” is not an acceptable response.
The Beast is back in the black. Ever since MCI first wired up a law firm and pretended to play telecom operating in competition with the massive might of AT&T, US technology policy has been beset by antitrust hearings, grand juries, FCC inquiries and those who will always get their thrill on Capitol Hill.
So why is one of the most exciting industrial developments of the 21st century – the broadband multimedia miasma – now once more falling into a legal mire? Simple. The legal combatants can ‘earn’ more by winning one of the celebrated causes to do with IPR or patents than they can in the good clean fair and open market. A 'shit' company (that's a Wall Street term) can go from zero to hero in one flamboyant courtroom flourish.
Microsoft has cut its teeth on the creation of a dirty and turbulent market, disavowing the fair and competitive. Almost alone among companies in the modern age, it believes that its operating system is a natural monopoly. Not quite so: Apple poses a small challenge; Linux a much larger one.
Does it bug Bill? Time and again we have castigated Microsoft’s OS as it invites attack from aimless hackers and subversants; simultaneously we have praised Bill & Melissa for doing more than most countries (including their own) can do in terms of aid to the least fortunate of the world’s population.
Fighting endless IPR wars just makes Microsoft look stupid. The company’s founder sometimes looks that way but is bigger and better (and richer). Call off the 'dogs of law', Bill.
Jim Chalmers
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