The great psychic fear in the Justice Department is that it will achieve a hollow victory, ... There will be this declaration of a violation of the law, but they will not have effective solutions to restore competition.

The Justice Department would require an agreement by Microsoft to banish all contracts that prevent equipment manufacturers and Internet service providers from promoting competitors' products. The is the non-negotiable minimum for the Justice Department.

This company is supremely adaptable, ... They're buying their way into the cable business and technological alternatives. The government's fear is that Microsoft will get off the existing platform [Windows-based computers] and on another. The government is confident that this company did something wrong, but they're not confident of what to do about it.

The Justice Department didn't know anything about this.

The Justice Department's awareness of Microsoft's adroitness and adaptability is much keener than it was in 1994, when the previous consent decree was being negotiated. In addition, the group of attorneys at Justice is much more knowledgeable about the software industry than they were six years ago.

What lack of justice to the series would rain be? Victory or death for both sides - a draw would be the biggest let-down of the millenium thus far.