Gates must open up to fair competition

Critics of Bill Gates, co-founder of the Microsoft Corporation, have been numerous, adamant and persistent. The criticism has not been directed at Gates personally, although some people may resent the adulation that has been lavished on him by the media. Others undoubtedly are irritated by the vast sums of money he has been able to spend on marketing his Windows 95 operating system. Is it as good as it is cracked up to be?

That question is probably best answered by noting that measuring the performance of such a system is an exercise as complex as it is subjective.

But a federal judge in Washington who granted a temporary order against Microsoft this week was not asked to measure the system's performance.

The crux of the case was that Microsoft was using its market dominance, however that might have been achieved, to shut out useful competition and thus deny consumers the latest technological advances.

The judge apparently felt that this was, indeed, happening. That is why he temporarily barred Microsoft from requiring PC makers who license the Windows 95 computer-operating software to accept its Internet Web browser as well. A final decision on the case is likely to be made some time next year, following a months-long examining process.

We believe the judge acted correctly in granting a temporary order against the company. Many ordinary customers agree that Microsoft's operating system is both user-friendly and technologically superior. All well and good but no company should be able to use its dominance in the market to deprive the consumer of freedom of choice.

No one disputes that the free market is based on competition and the entrepreneurial endeavors of talented individuals. But even a talented individual such as Gates must abide by the rules of fair competition.

-- The Hong Kong Standard