The patent system is in desperate need of reform, but the case of Tivo reminds us why we still need it so desperately. Without it, all true innovators might be resigned to the fate of MITS/Altair and Atari.

http://blog.actonline.org/2008/10/yeah-for-patent.html

Actually, based on the DOJ's market analysis for the case, Apple IS a monopoly. You're probably not aware, but apple was NOT even part of the market in which Microsoft was found to have a monopoly. It was ONLY operating systems running on Intel-based processors. So, if the DOJ (b4 Apple went Intel) wanted to go after Apple for their dominance fo the RISC-based PC market... the could have easily made a case.

But, that is neither here nor there. The more important point is that all OS's integrate search functionality. http://www.techliberation.com/archives/042479.php#more

Just because Microsoft is dominant in the marketplace, should the DOJ be trying to cripple the Windows OS by preventing it from keeping pace from its competitors? Sure MS has to play by different rules (and in fact the company has done much more than apple to make sure users and competitors can disable or essentially disable the integrated search features if they want) to ensure competition, but it should mean the government should tie one hand behind its back until competitors catch up. If they did, when would MS be able to start competing again? Once they were down to 60 percent marketshare, 50, 40, 30???

Consumers and ISVs benefit with MS is able to continually improve the Windows platform. It also pushes competitors to continue innovating and making their products better.


Microsoft has gone pretty far to make it easy to disable or essential