Antitrust Act Essays - Netscape, AOL, Netscape Navigator, Microsoft

Antitrust Act Anti-trust Acts in the Information Age As many people have noticed, recently there has been a huge focus in the media on Bill Gates, and his huge Microsoft Corporation. This past Friday, May 22, 1998, a federal judge combined two lawsuits and set a trial date for September 8, 1998. This trial date will address a government request for a preliminary injunction concerning Windows 98 as well as broader issues. The Sherman Anti-trust Act was passed in 1890. Then in 1914 the Clayton Act was passed to help with Anti-trust Cases. Anti-trust Lawsuits are few and far between, but recently cases against Microsoft are stacking up all around the world. In 1890 the Sherman Anti-trust Act was passed, but it was not until much later that it was enforced. The Act stated every contract, combination in the form of trust or otherwise, or conspiracy, in restraint of trade or commerce among the several States, or with foreign nations. The Sherman Anti-trust act was too vague and too difficult to enforce. The Clayton Act of 1914 helped this problem by making a more specific attack on monopolies. Things like predatory price-cutting, price discrimination, and acquisition of stock in a competing company with intent to destroy competition all became illegal. John D. Rockefeller is a prime example of monopolies in US History. By buying out competitors, or driving them out of business he obtained nearly 100 percent of the market in oil refining. The Standard Oil Company was eventually forced to dissolve into smaller companies after the case Standard Oil Company vs. United States, 221 U.S. 1 (1911). Before this case the Anti-trust Laws had not been put to much use, which was not to the benefit of consumers. Now the spotlight is on Microsoft Corporation, and their apparent attempt to take over the Internet browser market. Concerns aroused recently because of the expected release of Windows 98, which uses Microsoft Internet Explorer in almost every application it runs. The US government has seemingly acknowledged Microsoft's monopoly of operating systems and let it go by because of lack of competition in the market. But now new issues are at stake, should Microsoft be allowed to expand its already almost monopoly into yet another field in the computer industry? With the incorporation of Microsoft Internet Explorer into the Microsoft operating system Windows 98, Netscape Communications Corporation felt vulnerable, and filed complaints with the Justice Department. Once the investigations were initiated, it seemed flocks of people jumped the bandwagon to attack the alleged Microsoft Corporation Monopoly. 20 State Attorney Generals and the District of Columbia, along with the Justice Department have filed against Microsoft Corporation. Japan has also filed an Antitrust Lawsuit against Microsoft. It seems that everywhere Microsoft is, there looms a bit of concern for the consumers and their futures. Currently 90 percent of the world's personal computers run on Microsoft ope rating systems. The remaining ten percent of the industry is divided between Apple's Macintosh, IBM's OS/2, and Unix. The federal and state antitrust regulators are arguing that Microsoft has illegally used the popularity of its operating systems to eliminate its competition in the software industry. Many economists feel that these lawsuits against Microsoft Corporation could be as revolutionary as those against Bell Telephone in 1984 and John D. Rockefeller's Standard Oil Company in 1911. Microsoft Corporation however, disagrees, arguing that the changes being demanded by federal and state government will take months to perform and would cause the software to be useless. Microsoft clings strongly to their beliefs that Windows 98 cannot succeed without Internet Explorer. Such an operating system - which would take many months (if not years) to develop and test - would bear little, if any, resemblance to Windows 98 because Internet Explorer technologies are such a critical element of that product, Microsoft wrote. Although it may be true that Windows 98 is based around Internet Explorer, should the government allow Microsoft to sell its product and gain more market share? One option that federal and state governments gave Microsoft was to have the Windows 98 package be sold with the Netscape Navigator Browser, Microsoft's main competitor. This request was seen as ridiculous by Mark Murray, a spokesman

Introducing Jackie Robinson’s Life Was No Home Run for Racial Progress Professor Ramos Blog

Introducing Jackie Robinson’s Life Was No Home Run for Racial Progress Link to article: http://time.com/3942084/jackie-robinson-racial-progress/ The article by   Jason Sokol, Jackie Robinson’s Life Was No Home Run for Racial Progress, is one that links the story of Jackie Robinson, the first African American to play in Major League Baseball, to modern day racial issues. Sokol states that the Jackie Robinson saga was not only a step forward for diversifying baseball, but a symbol of the back and forth battle between racial progress and racism. Freedom is ultimately the goal for Americans, but unfortunately it has not been gained by many citizens even now. African Americans still face poverty and unnecessary violence enforced by police officers. Going back to the Robinson era of American life, similar issues were present, though racism was more blatant. Despite Robinson’s success on the ballfield, African Americans had to put up with the housing segregation and discrimination which led to black ghettoes. Sokol states that â€Å"Robinson’s own family experienced the inequities first-hand. Jackie Robinson learned that it was one thing to integrate the national pastime, and quite another to desegregate white towns and neighborhoods.† The inequality experienced by the Robinson’s was mainly fierce housing discrimination. For instance, when they had found a house at last, they â€Å"offered the asking price, waited for weeks, and were told that the price would be raised by $5,000.† This obvious act of racism was normal at the time and was used to keep black people from being able to buy houses in white neighborhoods. The story of the Robinsons, Sokol tells, is the harsh reality of race relations in this country. He states that cheering on black baseball players or celebrities isn’t enough to solve the conflict and discrimination forced upon African Americans still to this day. Sokol advises that to truly take steps forward, American citizens need â€Å"to stop the rising tide of mass incarceration and police brutality . . .† If we can achieve that, Sokol contends that we will be able to make true progress and break down the barriers that are keeping African Americans from reaching the freedom to feel safe and welcome everywhere in this country (Sokol). Sokol, Jason. Jackie Robinson’s Life Was No Home Run for Racial Progress. 15 July 2015.  http://time.com/3942084/jackie-robinson-racial-progress/. Date accessed: 30 October 2018. Link to picture: http://social.rollins.edu/wpsites/thirdsight/files/2016/11/whiteonly.jpg Discussion What do you think we can do to make racial progress happen? Why did people discriminate against Robinson and his family in spite of his fame? What the difference between racial progress and racial inequality? Will people get treated inequally even if they strive to be something better ?

How Engineering improve the safety of dangerous sports Research Paper

How Engineering improve the safety of dangerous sports - Research Paper Example Sports can be thrilling and a useful way of spending your time. Even though sports are mainly meant to be harmless and a source of joy, some of them are very risky to those taking part in them. Some of the dangerous sports include bicycle motocross where the cyclist performs hazardous tricks while in the air, racing like in formula 1 in which accidents have been fatal, big wave surfing, football, volcano boarding, tennis, ice hockey, skateboarding and basketball. In my view, engineering has been very helpful in reducing the amount of injuries in sports. The number of injuries reported in recent years have been less compared to those reported when the advancement in engineering field wasn’t as much. Engineers have come up with ways that have improved our safety in many sports that are generally considered dangerous and harmful. This developments have resulted in many people getting involved in such sports and of course I have been encouraged too given am safer now when am enjoying my sport. Looking at football for example, engineers have come up with helmets that can protect the player’s skull from fracture during those strong tackles. Helmets that can prevent concussions are also being developed thus improving the safety of players. This has been a very vital research as risks of death are reduced. The players also wear mouth guards made by engineers to protect themselves from losing teeth and some protective gear on other parts of body. Comparing modern day football and that from back then, I would actually want to be a football player in this days due to safety concerns. In motor racing, those cars are a lot safer now due to efforts done by engineers do ensure safety of drivers. There have been development of safety helmets, fire extinguishers in the race cars, racing uniforms that wouldn’t catch fire easily in the case that the vehicle caught fire during the