Once upon a time, the name Microsoft invoked feelings of abject fear from most of its competitors. And no wonder. The world’s largest software company was notorious for entering PC-related markets and squeezing out competitors. Its victories over the Mac and Netscape are legendary. However, as Apple continues to dominate the headlines, not just in […]

When Microsoft was under the gun defending itself against antitrust charges from the U.S. Department of Justice, they said they only wanted to be free to “innovate.” Now it’s fair to say that there is a lot of disagreement over just how much Microsoft innovates, and how much it cribs from others, such as Apple. […]

Up till now, Apple Inc. has been the 800-pound gorilla when it comes to digital music, which means they are also the gatekeeper to the most-used digital rights management technology for legal downloads on the planet. What this means is that lots of competitors and even some European countries are complaining that Apple has locked […]

You know, I got a lot of response to this week’s column, about some of Microsoft’s efforts to harden enforcement of its user licensing policies. Now before I go any further, let me tell you that they have the perfect right to impose any standard they see fit. If you agree to their licensing arrangement, […]