Is Microsoft a Monopoly
Is Microsoft a monopoly or not?
In order to understand if Microsoft is a monopoly one must first know the definition of a monopoly. A monopoly is a firm that is the sole seller of a product that has little or no substitutes. This automatically should arouse many thoughts in the minds of “us” as consumers. For all these years have we been monopolized by a producer of a product just because there were limited sources in the same fields? Yes and no should be the floating answer. Microsoft for years has been the producer of almost every necessary component associated with our electrical devices.
Microsoft is the developer of multiple operating systems or OS that first entered the market in 1981 but did not officially appear until 1984. In 1984, the Applesoft Basic for Apple Computers was introduced by Bill Gates. Due to the fact that the Apple system was first in this technologically advanced field it was set in the direction of being a monopoly. This is the evident sign that lack of other operating systems would set both Bill Gates and Microsoft in a monopolistic state. So if this monopolistic sign was so evident then why wasn’t it stopped by the government? This is a direct form of a government-created monopoly.
Government-created monopolies exist because of patents and copyrights. The government has allowed Microsoft to exist because it was seen to be within the best interest of the public. The government does not actually predict whether a producer or firm will be a monopolist, it only allows a firm or producer to own the rights to the specific fields that they want to create. The communications field often has their own set of economical rules which is commonly set at the understanding that every must benefit from the product. Microsoft has often perfected this with their operating systems by staying consistently up to date with the consumer’s way of life.
So what exactly allowed Microsoft to become a monopoly? Microsoft (Bill Gates, Steve
In order to understand if Microsoft is a monopoly one must first know the definition of a monopoly. A monopoly is a firm that is the sole seller of a product that has little or no substitutes. This automatically should arouse many thoughts in the minds of “us” as consumers. For all these years have we been monopolized by a producer of a product just because there were limited sources in the same fields? Yes and no should be the floating answer. Microsoft for years has been the producer of almost every necessary component associated with our electrical devices.
Microsoft is the developer of multiple operating systems or OS that first entered the market in 1981 but did not officially appear until 1984. In 1984, the Applesoft Basic for Apple Computers was introduced by Bill Gates. Due to the fact that the Apple system was first in this technologically advanced field it was set in the direction of being a monopoly. This is the evident sign that lack of other operating systems would set both Bill Gates and Microsoft in a monopolistic state. So if this monopolistic sign was so evident then why wasn’t it stopped by the government? This is a direct form of a government-created monopoly.
Government-created monopolies exist because of patents and copyrights. The government has allowed Microsoft to exist because it was seen to be within the best interest of the public. The government does not actually predict whether a producer or firm will be a monopolist, it only allows a firm or producer to own the rights to the specific fields that they want to create. The communications field often has their own set of economical rules which is commonly set at the understanding that every must benefit from the product. Microsoft has often perfected this with their operating systems by staying consistently up to date with the consumer’s way of life.
So what exactly allowed Microsoft to become a monopoly? Microsoft (Bill Gates, Steve
References: Mankiw, N. G. (2012, 2009). Principles of Microeconomics (Sixth ed.). Mason, OH: South-Western Cengage Learning.Mankiw (2012, 2009) Fisher, G. A. (2000, May 30). Why is Microsoft a Monopoly? Retrieved May 21, 2012, from http://www.zaimoni.com/George/MicrosoftMonopoly.htmFisher (2000) South-Western College Publishing (2003). Is Microsoft a Monopoly? Retrieved May 21, 2012, from http://www.swcollege.com/bef/policy_debates/microsoft.htmlSouth-Western College Publishing (2003) ThisNation.com (2008). Is Microsoft a monopoly? If so, why does it matter? Retrieved May 21, 2012, from http://www.thisnation.com/questions/027.htmlThisNation.com (2008) Albro, E. N. (2007). Eight Years Later, Is Microsoft Still a Monopoly? Retrieved May 21, 2012, from http://www.pcworld.com/printable/article/id,139458/printable.htmlAlbro (2007) Jackson, E. - Forbes (2012, March 1). Steve Jobs Used Patents to Get Bill Gates to Make 1997 Investment in Apple. Retrieved May 21, 2012, from http://www.forbes.com/sites/ericjackson/2012/03/01/steve-jobs-used-patents-to-get-bill-gates-to-make-1997-investment-in-apple/Jackson (2012)