Ed Felton explains Anti-Trust law, and explains how the court case isn't about 
whether Microsoft makes buggy software, Bill Gates is evil, or other 
charges.  It's about whether or not software companies are under the 
umbrella of anti-trust laws.  If they are, the entire industry has to 
obey them.

MS claims that the computer industry arose after the anti-trust law so 
they aren't included.  However, the plastics industry made that case and 
failed.  (Oh, and IBM was already tried under the same law).

Anyway...  what the law really says is that monopolies aren't bad, 
aren't illegal, and aren't even discouraged!  However, if you meet the 
definition of monopoly (the legal term is "virtual monopoly") then you 
just have to play by certain different rules (mostly related to pricing 
and bundling).  Microsoft has admitted that they meet the definition of 
virtual monopoly (after losing that battle in court).  Now they are 
refusing to operate by the different constraints.

The lawsuit will affect all parts of the industry and I think that's
a good thing.