Microsoft, as we all know is the giant in the computer software business. It has grown so big; it is being considered a monopoly, which means there is no competition to them.

The monopoly trial started October 20th, 1998. Bill Gates is charged with leading a campaign to drive another company out of business. The Justice Department claims that Microsoft tried to keep Netscape, a software company, from staying in the market with its Internet browser. Microsoft allegedly held a meeting in June with Netscape's leader giving Microsoft the consumer browser market and giving Netscape the other markets. If it did in fact do this, Microsoft broke the law.

Mr. Warden, a Microsoft lawyer and Bill Gates are shaking off the charges by saying that America Online or AOL was also having meetings with Netscape. They both decided not to enter the online service market; AOL now owns Netscape. Even so, AOL signed with Microsoft to use its Internet Explorer browser software because they had better technology.

Twenty hours of testimony has been videotaped and Bill Gates appears to be a fierce witness. He answered the questions very carefully. The government tried to prosecute Bill Gates by using his own e-mail messages against him. The judge's decision was released this spring and it states that Microsoft is a monopoly. The judge in the case is considering the government's request to break Microsoft up into at least two separate companies, which Gates and his company don't want to do.