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2) Antitrust is not only about whether a platform denies competition. It also takes into account market share. Chromebooks and Boot2Gecko have minuscule marke
by harshreality 14y ago
2) Antitrust is not only about whether a platform denies competition. It also takes into account market share.
Chromebooks and Boot2Gecko have minuscule marketshare. However, you can root chromebooks and B2G is all open code, so nothing is stopping Microsoft from developing for those linux-based platforms if they want to.
In order to begin to have a valid complaint, Microsoft would have to offer IE for full-userland linux desktops and laptops, which they haven't done.
If those stripped down linux platforms became near-monopolies, and if they didn't have open specifications, under the Sherman Act they could conceivably be required to open their APIs for other browser makers to compete.
In a world without Android, Apple might be in danger of violating antitrust law with iOS development restrictions, if they had a near monopoly on smartphones and tablets.
- recoiledsnake 14y agoAnd Windows RT has how much marketshare? Just because it has Windows in the name doesn't mean that Windows RT is the same as Windows. It won't run a single app runs on Windows 7. How is it even remotely similar?
- harshreality 14y agoTwo reasons: 1. Microsoft is already suspect because of antitrust violations in the past. 2. Their development tools will certainly eventually allow simultaneous windows x86/amd64/arm builds, which could allow them to bootstrap windows RT marketshare.