The US government proved that Microsoft possessed, and ?illegally exploited, monopoly power in the “antitrust case of the ?century”, the six-year action that ended in July 2004. The Final ?Judgment allowed Microsoft to remain whole, but imposed conditions ?that permit rival software makers to tuck their products into its ?Windows operating system. Anti-Microsoft groups were outraged; a ?spokesman for one said: “This decision represents the failure of ?antitrust laws in the high-tech industry…An unrestrained ?monopolist in the most vibrant sector of the economy cannot be good ?for America.” The critics were right: the Government’s remedies have had little ?impact. Yet today customers are flocking to Microsoft’s competitors. ?Hammered on multiple fronts by opportunistic rivals, the high-flying ?starship of the PC Age has stalled, and many wonder if it will now ?crash and burn..