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The Microsoft Saga Continues
Examining the current state of affairs jof the gargantua of the software industry

Never before have I exceeded my own self-imposed limit of three columns in a series on one subject -- until now. The topic of this series is simply so large that it merits a little extra attention. In this, the fourth and final installment of a series of columns on the Microsoft anti-trust trial, we will take a look at the current state of affairs at Microsoft and make an attempt to divine the near future of the Gatesian Gargantua of the software industry.

By the time you read this, the Justice Department's anti-trust suit against Microsoft will have resumed after a six-week layoff -- or maybe not. How¹s that for covering all the bases? The trial, scheduled to resume on April 12, may be delayed or even canceled. The delay may arise from U.S. District Judge Thomas Penfield Jackson being tied up with another case. If the delay becomes a reality, it could give Microsoft and the Justice Department more time to hammer out the details of a settlement, which means, of course, that the trial wouldn't resume at all.

That possibility is remote, however, because the two sides seem to be equally intransigent. The head of the Justice Department's anti-trust division, Joel Klein, says he is willing to talk to Microsoft, but that ultimately Microsoft will have to meet all the government's requirements. For its part, Microsoft execs say they are willing to talk as long as their right to "innovate" and add new features to their products is not abridged in any way. You may read this rhetoric thusly: the two sides don't see eye to eye in any form or fashion.

Given Judge Jackson's increasing skepticism regarding Microsoft's defense, coupled with the fact that Microsoft's attorneys have made so many bungles in the courtroom, many observers feel that Microsoft is gambling everything on the appeals process. But that's not quite true. In what may be an attempt to head off an unfriendly divestiture proceeding by the Justice Department, Microsoft recently announced that it is reorganizing its operation into four major customer-based groups that will serve corporate chief information officers, "knowledge workers," software programmers, and consumers. Of course, Microsoft spokespersons say that any suggestion that the move is intended to head off a break-up attempt by the government is completely without merit.

In the meantime, Microsoft has been rocked by revelations that its Windows 98 operating system imprints a unique serial number in every document produced through Windows 98. Ostensibly, its purpose is to help technical support personnel diagnose problems when customers call in to support lines. The number does make it possible, however, to trace the authorship of any document of any kind. Naturally enough, privacy activists are having a field day with this information. At this point, Microsoft has been forced to retreat from its position (since having been "outed") and is now offering two free software fixes on its website. One program removes the identifying number from existing documents, and the other prevents it from being inserted into new documents. You can find these programs at .

And in its continuing attempt to be all things to everyone, Microsoft has announced that it is out to corner the small business Internet market with its new upgrade to Windows NT, now known as Windows 2000. On the consumer side of things, Microsoft and 3Com have formed an alliance (we now know how these things come about) to market products that will allow consumers to set up in-house networks to share modems and other peripherals.

Good ideas? Yes. Just stay out the way if you've got a better one.