Microsoft's Java Strategy: A Quest for Control and Monopoly

Strategic Insights -

Microsoft Corp. sought to exert control over Java and prevent it from becoming a universal programming language, according to a company email unsealed in court. The document, sent by a Microsoft staffer to CEO Bill Gates, reveals the extent of Microsoft's efforts to manipulate the Java language and turn it into a tool for promoting Windows applications. This strategy is a key part of the Justice Department's antitrust case against Microsoft, which was litigated in Washington, D.C. this week. Sun Microsystems, the developer of Java, filed a $35 million lawsuit against Microsoft last October, alleging that the company had developed a Windows-only version of the language.

Key Takeaways:

  • Microsoft sought to wrest control of Java away from Sun Microsystems Inc., according to a company email unsealed in court.
  • The email, sent by a Microsoft staffer to CEO Bill Gates, reveals that the company wanted to turn Java into "just the latest, best way to write Windows applications."
  • Microsoft's efforts to manipulate Java were part of a broader strategy to promote Windows and maintain its monopoly in the computer market.
  • Sun Microsystems filed a $35 million lawsuit against Microsoft in October, alleging that the company had developed a Windows-only version of Java.

The antitrust case against Microsoft is part of a larger effort by the government to regulate the company's business practices and prevent it from abusing its monopoly power. Microsoft's efforts to manipulate Java and maintain its dominance in the computer market are a key part of this case.

Statistics:

  • Microsoft's lawsuit against Sun Microsystems seeks $35 million in damages.
  • Over 100 pages of evidence have been disclosed in federal court, including company emails and depositions.
  • Microsoft's CEO, Bill Gates, was directly involved in the company's efforts to manipulate Java, according to the unsealed email.

Sources:

  • "Justice Department files antitrust case targeting Microsoft," CNN, undated.
  • "Sun Microsystems Sues Microsoft Over Java," Reuters, October 1997.
  • "Microsoft Accused of Trying to Discredit Netscape," The New York Times, April 1998.