They ignore almost completely the vast body of data and information on this industry. Their quantitative analysis of browser use is based almost entirely on a source of data that is grossly flawed and is used by neither Microsoft nor Netscape to measure browser use. Perhaps as a result of the limited body of research and evidence, they fail to provide economic evidence of the key elements of an antitrust case. The microcomputer software industry is one of the most closely studied industries in the economy. It is the subject of numerous specialized magazines and other trade publications, and, despite its short history, many books.
Several companies specialize in collecting and analyzing data on microcomputer software sales.
The result is striking. Reviewers have noted that one of the benefits of IE is its close integration with Windows , which in turn enhances the value of Windows . Although e-mails and other business documents can provide useful research material, they have obvious drawbacks. As anyone who routinely uses e-mail knows, it is usually a substitute for casual conversation rather than formal written memos or reports. In e-mails as in conversation, especially between people who know each other well, much is left unsaid and assumed, and there is a tendency to talk in short hand and to use hyperbole.