Friday, April 10, 1998
Mr. Joel I. Klein
Assistant Attorney General
Antitrust Division
U.S. Department of Justice
601 D Street, NW
Washington, DC 20530
Dear Mr. Klein
I am writing to you today to lodge a complaint about the lack of choice in computer
operating systems. Specifically the fact that IBM will no longer pre-load their
own operating system OS/2 Warp on their own computer systems.
I complained to IBM about the fact that IBM's Thinkpad laptop computers and Aptiva
line only have a choice of Microsoft Windows 95 or Windows NT for operating systems.
An IBM spokesman said they are no longer focusing OS/2 on the desktop market. Whether
this makes sense or not is not the issue. They have a desktop operating system in
OS/2 Warp which is a more stable, and a technically more highly regarded platform,
then their competition, yet they refuse to promote it to the point they won't even
install it on their own hardware when requested. This also means that though they
provide free support for Microsoft operating systems, they refuse to provide the
same support for their own operating system on their own hardware.
It is my firm opinion that there is some kind of anti-competetive deal between
Microsoft and IBM PC Co. which is severely limiting my choice in personal computer
operating systems. Is this something that the Department of Justice can investigate?
Mark Dodel
DEPARTMENT OF JUSTICE
Antitrust Division
JOEL I. KLEIN
Assistant Attorney General
Main Justice Building
950 Pennsylvania Avenue, N. W.
Washington, D.C 20530-0001
(202) 514-2401 / (202) 616-2645 (f)
antitrust@justice.usdoj.gov
http://www.usdoj.gov
(World Wide Web)
June 5, 1998
Mark Dodel
Health Care Computer consultant
Dear Mr. Dodel:
Thank you for your recent letter regarding the Microsoft
Corporation. Your correspondence has been forwarded to
Christopher Crook, Chief Of the Division's, San Francisco Field
Office, for further review. Mr. Crook's office is currently
handling all correspondence relating to this matter. If either he
or his staff have any questions, they will contact you directly.
For further infomation or a copy ot any public papers
(including press releases), please see our web page
(www.usdoj.gov), call our Legal Procedure Unit (202-514-2481), or
send a written request to 325 7th St NW, Suite 215, Washington,
D.C. 20530.
Your interest in the enforcement of the federal antitrust
laws is greatly appreciated.
Sincerely,
Joel I. Klein
,JIK/rbg