The recent rulings of the courts against
Microsoft may be perceived as a long albeit fair judgment after years of
litigation. Personally, the government’s decision to go after Microsoft and
its subsequent victory is disappointing. To be fair, I own no shares of
Microsoft. Like most of you, I regret not having the money or the foresight to
invest in this company at any point over the last dozen years.
On a side note, I write this article using the Microsoft Word program.
If anyone actually feels Microsoft’s ubiquitous presence, it is me. I begin
every morning by checking my emails from my MS Outlook Express. I then check my
MS Outlook Calendar to determine my weekly schedule. Over the course of the day,
I check my MS Hotmail account and create countless MS Word, MS Powerpoint, MS
Excel, and MS Publisher documents. I also send and receive about fifty to a
hundred emails via MS Outlook Express. No, I haven’t gotten around to using MS
Access, but you get my point. I don’t claim to be satisfied by these products
because quite frankly, I don’t have a choice. Nonetheless, Microsoft has
improved all of our livelihoods and it is being victimized by its success and
utility.
Bill Gates is a modern day hero. He lost over $10 billion because of the
government ruling. The unfair vilification of this pioneer and his company
showed a lack of common sense by U.S. courts along with a general ignorance of
history. Microsoft has enhanced the productivity of all American workers by
creating everyday software tools. While I have become a captive of MS products,
I also appreciate how all of these products have allowed me to spend less time
on inefficient labor in order to maximize my output.
If you examine U.S. history, each era has its own Bill Gates. Andrew Carnegie
helped lead the industrial revolution by producing steel, fueling the growth of
American industries. He, too, was vilified and envied by the public. John
Rockefeller built an oil empire that continued American industrial dominance.
More important than Standard Oil, Rockefeller helped create a management team
that enabled companies to develop efficient companies. Henry Ford also created
an industrial monopoly but in the process, created the assembly line. With these
pioneers, the U.S. was able to maintain and create a leadership position from
which its citizens owe their current livelihood.
From the moment you wake up, you feel the impact of past pioneers. I drive to
work using Exxon gas on my Chevy. On my way to work, I am thankful that mass
transit has lightened traffic as I notice MTA trains carry passengers across the
steel tracks. I show up to work, turn on my Dell computer, and begin work.
Without the vision of John Rockefeller (Exxon), Alfred Sloan (Chevy), Andrew
Carnegie (steel), Michael Dell (computer), Thomas Edison (light), I would not be
able to carry on during the course of the day. And as I entertain graduate
schools, I think about my younger brother who is receiving a full scholarship
from University of Chicago (founded by Rockefeller). If I were to go to business
school, I would love to go to Columbia (Rockefeller endowed), Chicago
(Rockefeller), Carnegie-Mellon (Carnegie and Andrew Mellon), or MIT (Sloan).
Perhaps someday my own kids will attend the Gates or Dell school of technology,
Steve Case Institute, Lucas Institute of the Arts, or Ted Turner School of
Broadcasting.
Returning to my original point, Microsoft helped the American economy maintain
its leadership position in the world. Microsoft also helped create more
millionaires than any other company in history. Bill Gates’ charitable
foundation has the largest endowment. Without Microsoft, many underprivileged
children will go without proper vaccination or computer learning. Microsoft’s
greatest mistake has been improving the livelihood of its buyers, its employees,
and its shareholders. While this column has no impact on the recent ruling, I
hope that the government allows companies to grow and flourish rather than
destroy the industry leaders who enrich our lives in so many ways.
