I think that the government is now just kicking M$ for the fun of it. Let's look back a couple of years and see how even after they had Microsoft on the mats, they would kick a few times then back off.
In 1994, after an investigation to determine whether Microsoft used anti-competitive business practices, the two sides agreed that Microsoft would make some changes in the way it did business. But a federal judge rejected their proposed agreement, saying it was too easy on Microsoft. Microsoft and the government together appealed to a higher court, which permitted their consent decree to take effect in 1995.
Two years later, the Justice Department alleged that Microsoft had violated the deal. The Justice Department won some aspects of its argument in court, but lost them on appeal. By that time, however, the government had decided that Microsoft had committed new violations of the law. In May, 1998, it brought the current case against Microsoft.
And now, this time with threatening a new round of punishment, which will get appealed time and again. Will anything actually happen? Or is this just posturing for the justice department buckling under the pressure of the lobbyists and special interest. Is it just tradewares exersising the press for free air time, or is it fun just to pick on the biggest kid on the block. Sooner or later someone's going to take a shot. This seems like it, but I really don't think any of this will have any measurable outcome in the long run one way or another.
With all the discoveries being made about genetics, it's a shame that the predominating sense of capitalism is preventing people from sharing ideas and furthering if everyone has a piece of the puzzle, but nobody wants to be the first to give it up.
I don't think it's that no one wants to be first, I do agree that a large part of the delays are due to getting ducks in a row prior to announcing or sharing is in large part due to protecting future profit.
However there is also a huge political and social impact side with genetic engineering that the general population thinks is just evil. You mention genetic fruit supplements and immediately the discussion turns to Dolly the sheep and cloning humans for body parts and mini-me's. So there is a lot of time, effort and money invested in spin and marketing in a slow and controlled way as to not have a panic that the genetic company that shares first is not viewed as the evil Dr. Moreou(SP?)
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In 1994, after an investigation to determine whether Microsoft used anti-competitive business practices, the two sides agreed that Microsoft would make some changes in the way it did business. But a federal judge rejected their proposed agreement, saying it was too easy on Microsoft. Microsoft and the government together appealed to a higher court, which permitted their consent decree to take effect in 1995.
Two years later, the Justice Department alleged that Microsoft had violated the deal. The Justice Department won some aspects of its argument in court, but lost them on appeal. By that time, however, the government had decided that Microsoft had committed new violations of the law. In May, 1998, it brought the current case against Microsoft.
And now, this time with threatening a new round of punishment, which will get appealed time and again. Will anything actually happen? Or is this just posturing for the justice department buckling under the pressure of the lobbyists and special interest. Is it just tradewares exersising the press for free air time, or is it fun just to pick on the biggest kid on the block. Sooner or later someone's going to take a shot. This seems like it, but I really don't think any of this will have any measurable outcome in the long run one way or another.
I don't think it's that no one wants to be first, I do agree that a large part of the delays are due to getting ducks in a row prior to announcing or sharing is in large part due to protecting future profit.
However there is also a huge political and social impact side with genetic engineering that the general population thinks is just evil. You mention genetic fruit supplements and immediately the discussion turns to Dolly the sheep and cloning humans for body parts and mini-me's. So there is a lot of time, effort and money invested in spin and marketing in a slow and controlled way as to not have a panic that the genetic company that shares first is not viewed as the evil Dr. Moreou(SP?)