Atilla wrote:

no, in fact, if there were a free market remedy for M$' monopoly, I would be in favour of it --and there is _no_ free market remedy and failure to act promptly conceivably wipe out all, or virtually all, of the viable competitors.

Of course there's a free-market remedy for Microsoft; eliminate copyright. If anyone can copy Microsoft software for free, it would be forced to compete on real benefits rather than installed base. This is why I have no sympathy with those who claim Microsoft is the victim in the anti-trust suits, even though I'm opposed to such action in general; those whose profits depend on the 800-pound gorilla can hardly complain when it falls on them. Mark