An Assessment of the Effectiveness of the Settlement Agreement in U.s. v. Microsoft
Open Access
Author:
Chubinsky, Michael Kohler
Area of Honors:
Economics
Degree:
Bachelor of Science
Document Type:
Thesis
Thesis Supervisors:
Mark Mc Leod, Thesis Supervisor Dr. Russell Paul Chuderewicz, Thesis Honors Advisor
Keywords:
United States Microsoft Bundle
Abstract:
United States v. Microsoft is a monumentally important court decision that had a major impact on forming the way in which we access the internet. This case permitted internet browsers to be bundled with operating systems. Thus, upon the purchase of an operating system, the browser is offered at no additional charge. This vital aspect of the case’s outcome raises a number of questions, and warrants further study. What are the ramifications of offering internet browsers free of charge on the marketplace? Did this result hamper the government’s ability to accomplish its initial regulatory goals? How does regulation of this matter in the United States compare to other countries? Further examination of this topic, with a focus on these questions, yields a wealth of knowledge about one of the world’s largest antitrust disputes. Consequently, such research will hopefully help improve future antitrust regulation.
