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News > Technology
Microsoft's words backfire
December 9, 1998: 2:43 p.m. ET

Feds say company's own definitions of browser, OS contradict its defense
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NEW YORK (CNNfn) - Government lawyers Wednesday once again turned Microsoft Corp.'s own words against itself, this time to rebut the company's claim that its Web browser software is an integral component of its Windows operating system.
     The debate is a key element of the government's antitrust case against the Redmond, Wash., software giant.
     Government witness David Farber, telecommunications professor at the University of Pennsylvania, testified that operating systems should be limited to basic computing functions, such as control over such hardware devices as disk drives and printers.
     Microsoft lawyer Steven Holley blasted Farber's definition as narrow minded and out of step with the software industry, pointing out that rival operating systems from Apple Computer Inc. (AAPL) and Sun Microsystems Inc. (SUNW) don't fall into Farber's definition.
     But the government, during redirect questioning of Farber, produced definitions of "operating system" and "Web browser" from a Microsoft reference book published in 1997 that closely conformed to Farber's definitions.
     Microsoft's definitions played into the government's hands. The Justice Department and 19 states claim Microsoft purposely bundled its Internet Explorer Web browser into Windows to harm Netscape Communications Corp. (NSCP).
     Netscape's Navigator was the dominant browser software until Microsoft offered IE free within Windows.
     Microsoft's Holley, however, continued to hammer away at Farber, frequently forcing the computer expert to admit that he wasn't familiar with the inner workings of Windows.
     But Farber never wavered from his testimony that Microsoft had no technical basis for including IE in Windows, noting that he needed only to rely on his 30 years of experience in computer sciences to come to his conclusions.
     Farber concluded his testimony late Wednesday morning; Microsoft resumed its cross examination of Sun Vice President James Gosling in the afternoon session at U.S. District Court in Washington.
     Gosling, the creator of Sun's Java programming language, testified that Microsoft used its marketing muscle to squelch the threat Java posed to Windows.
     The government is using Gosling's testimony to illustrate a wide pattern of anticompetitive behavior by Microsoft.
     Microsoft (MSFT) shares gained 13/16 to 132 in midday trading. Sun (SUNW) shares slipped 7/8 to 75-1/4. Back to top

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Most stock quote data provided by BATS. Market indices are shown in real time, except for the DJIA, which is delayed by two minutes. All times are ET. Disclaimer. Morningstar: © 2018 Morningstar, Inc. All Rights Reserved. Factset: FactSet Research Systems Inc. 2018. All rights reserved. Chicago Mercantile Association: Certain market data is the property of Chicago Mercantile Exchange Inc. and its licensors. All rights reserved. Dow Jones: The Dow Jones branded indices are proprietary to and are calculated, distributed and marketed by DJI Opco, a subsidiary of S&P Dow Jones Indices LLC and have been licensed for use to S&P Opco, LLC and CNN. Standard & Poor's and S&P are registered trademarks of Standard & Poor's Financial Services LLC and Dow Jones is a registered trademark of Dow Jones Trademark Holdings LLC. All content of the Dow Jones branded indices © S&P Dow Jones Indices LLC 2018 and/or its affiliates.