Video Dominates Microsoft Trial Before Recess

On the eve of a Christmas recess in the antitrust trial of the century, government lawyers have been trying to leave federal judge Thomas Penfield Jackson with as negative an impression of Microsoft as possible to chew over with his holiday turkey. The solution: The Bill Gates videotapes. In clips shown in court today, the brilliant and ruthless businessman actually claimed that he didn't know how much market share his core product, the Windows operating system, commanded -- and that nobody in his company really did either.The government has maintained that Windows (FYI, Microsoft) commands some 80 percent of the world's PC market -- a de facto monopoly.

Of course, in showing only the edited parts of the tapes, the government sometimes goes overboard. Microsoft reps were incensed when the prosecution started the day with video showing Gates ignoring lead Justice prosecutor David Boies when the lawyer wished him a good morning. "What is the legal significance of whether or not Bill Gates says 'Good morning' to his inquisitor each day?" a Microsoft spokesman asked. A recess until January 4 will come no later than Thursday, and for Redmond, that's probably not a moment too soon.