Microsoft Chairman Bill Gates' argument that a modular version of Windows would "turn back the clock" on software development and damage the computer industry is fundamentally flawed, legal experts said. Gates, in testimony last week, said a remedy proposed by nine states and the District of Columbia in the ongoing antitrust case to compel Microsoft to offer PC makers a customizable version of Windows would lead to fragmentation of the operating system market, in turn destabilizing the personal computer industry. Legal experts and industry analysts said Gates' defense is a one-dimensional portrayal of competition in the personal computer market. They contend the states' plan would actually lead to more competition, more innovation and lower prices.
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