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Journalism of Courage
LONDON, NOV 7: European market observers and business editors on Sunday hailed the US Court ruling that Microsoft Corp had an unfair monopoly and expected the company to seek a deal with the US government in order to prevent a breakup of the computer software giant.
The finding of fact issued by US District Judge Thomas Jackson on Friday said Microsoft had a monopoly in operating system software for personal computers and used its power to punish competitors and harm consumers.
quot;Even more important is the fact that the decision confirms judicial interventionism by the Federal Government in the country8217;s economy.quot;ForItaly8217;s best-selling daily Corriere della Sera, the ruling was quot;a milestone on the road of American capitalismquot;. quot;This is8230;the affirmation of the Principle on which the US economic system is based: companies are free to pursue maximum value for their shareholders, without social obligations; but none of them may ever flout competition rules,quot; Corriere said in a front-page editorial.
quot;Microsoft8217;s era of absolute power is over,quot; said Turin daily La Stampa. quot;For the software giant, this is a clear defeat. For all those who use a PC to work, play or chat to their girlfriend, the verdict marks a new era.quot;quot;Microsoft court ruling sees Gates crash to earth,quot; was the headline in Britain8217;s Sunday Times newspaper. But the paper also reported that Gates, through his involvement in the Destination Europe consortium, was in talks to buy a golf club in Britain.
Rome daily Il Messaggero said it was wrong to think Microsoft chairman Bill Gates, the world8217;s richest man, was on the ropes, though. quot;Bill Gates is notfinished, as some might think, but the blow dealt to him8230;has an even more devastating effect because it is a knockout for the model of new private monopolies on which an entire financial and technological framework was being built, designed to influence the development of the world in the next century,quot; Messaggero said.
quot;The Americans have shown themselves to be the best defenders of a truly free and healthy market: a well regulated market based on a few clear, elementary and inviolable rules.quot; Observers believe Gates will be forced to sue for peace with the US government rather than risk the breakup of Microsoft.
