Does Microsoft Cause Lower Software Prices?

AngusSF writes "OK, slashdotters, , so is this FEE article Antitrust Benefits Consumers? It Just Ain't So! true?" AngusSF quotes from the article: "... as Stan Leibowitz and Steve Margolis have shown in their book, Winners, Losers and Microsoft, in virtually any market that Microsoft has entered (financial software, spreadsheets, etc.), the effect has been a dramatic reduction in prices and an expansion of output and innovation. Software products that do not compete with Microsoft's products fell in price by 12 percent from 1988 to 1995, but by 60 percent where there was competition from Microsoft.", and writes "I'd really like to see some on-line evidence of this. Has Microsoft competition in office suites really cut prices there?"

Comments

Re:Must Be True

[djplurvert]

Oh cmon, even the laziest linux zealots aren't as fat or inconsistent as limbaugh.

Re:Must Be True

[Conor Turton]

And now, Linux has taken this effect initially created by Microsoft, and actually applied it to Microsoft. Now Microsoft has to sell at a lower price to stay competetive. But its pretty hard to stay more competetive than free.

Linux is only free if your time is WORTHLESS