re: divesting the browser

[James Love <love@cptech.org>]

Apparently I wasn't clear enough in my previous note regarding divesting
the browser, that we only look at this as part of a larger framework for
remedies. and we certainly support other structural and conduct remedies,
in addition to a divestiture of the browser.

I just wanted to focus specifically on the browser as one particular
product that could be divested on a standalone basis.  It is, after all,
a product its own trademark, that is right now distributed for several
platforms including Mac, Unix, Windows 3.1, Window 95, Windows 98, and
Windows NT, plus it is distributed with several third party (i.e. AOL,
Intuit, etc) and MS products.  And, the browser is a particularly key
technology with respect to the Internet (setting publishing standards,
middleware for Internet applications, navigation defaults, etc). 

We have a draft of a remedies framework which isn't quite out the door,
but which is considerably broader, supporting certainly the separation
of Windows and MS Office into separate companies, and with a fair amount
on interoperability remedies.

  Jamie

-------------------------------
James Love 
Center for Study of Responsive Law | Consumer Project on Technology 
P.O. Box 19367, Washington, DC 20036 | http://www.cptech.org
Voice 202/387-8030 | Fax 202/234-5176 | love@cptech.org