The NY Times reports that Google is protesting a move by Microsoft to try to boost MSN search by making it the default search tool in the upcoming version of Internet Explorer. IE 7 has a search box in the upper right corner — a feature incorporated into the open source browser, Firefox. Firefox search faults to Google but comes with other search sites "built in." Firefox consumers can easily add other search vehicles.
Is Microsoft using its monopoly position (Windows) to extend market share in an unrelated product (search) by using this tactic? That’s the 64-dollar question. And even if the answer were to be "yes," at the rate Washington acts on anti-trust matters, the question would be moot were it to act. Like it was with Netscape.
