An Open Letter to Bob Robb

Dear Mr. Robb:

You recently wrote an editorial saying that the Microsoft decision is a signal to go outside the U.S. to invent and invest. You should have read Judge Jackson's findings of fact instead of jerking your knee. Judge Jackson finds that Microsoft has committed a number of unethical, immoral, and possibly illegal acts (I say possibly illegal because he has not ruled on that yet). What Judge Jackson has said is what we all know: that behaving immorally and unethically is BAD, no matter how much you do for the computer industry.

Microsoft would not have been in trouble if they had acted in an ethical and moral manner, Mr. Robb. I find it shocking to see you excuse unethical and immoral behavior simply because they are successful.

Frankly, if Microsoft had competed by creating the best product for the best price, Judge Jackson would never have been called in. But they did not. Those of us actually within the computer industry have known this for years, but read Judge Jackson's report, Mr. Robb. It reads like a cross between a CIA dirty tricks book and a Mafia behavior manual. For example, extortion, bribery, paying people to use their browser instead of Netscape's in order to drive Netscape out of business, you name it. One executive wrote a scolding letter to Microsoft saying that if there was any other operating system that they could buy for their personal computers, Microsoft would not get a dime of their business. But there wasn't. That isn't a monopoly? Did you read the same report that I read?

Nevermind. I just find it sickening that Microsoft apologists will excuse dirty tricks and unethical behavior as "normal competition". I am proud to say that my employer competes by producing the best product for the best price (we hope!). I have been in the computer industry for over 15 years now, and am proud to say that all of my employers have competed with service, product, and competitive pricing. I find it sad that you believe that this is not the right way to conduct business.

Sincerely,
Eric Lee Green eric@estinc.com
Software Engineer
Enhanced Software Technologies, Inc.