Imagine specialized, fast, smoothly running new versions of the OS for scientific, business and education users. They funnel the apps directly to Microsoft's proprietary application programming interfaces. If the company no longer owned the APIs, however, its motivation would change. Development tools with true multiplatform capabilities would evolve. On the browser front, the effect of this approach would be less profound.
Browsers already follow open standards.
But Internet Explorer would lose some of its dominance as various versions of Windows evolved, some with and some without the browser attached. Specialty browser versions would likely pop up, too, for functions such as medical and kiosk programs. As for the applications, Justice should not touch them. They're some of the best in the business, and Microsoft deserves to keep them as a core part of its operation. Shawn P. McCarthy designs products for a Web search engine provider.