Poll: Keeping It Together

Analysis By Daniel Merkle, ABCNEWS.com

April 11 Although a judge found that Microsoft 
Corp. violated antitrust laws, more than six in 10 
Americans say the software giant should not be 
broken up into smaller companies.

In a new ABCNEWS.com poll, 62 percent of Americans say Microsoft should remain intact. That includes 53 percent who think it should continue as a single company but under some controls, and 9 percent who say it should be left alone entirely. Just 23 percent want Microsoft broken up into several smaller companies.

However, these views dont mean most Americans object to the federal governments lawsuit against Microsoft. A plurality, 45 percent, say the government was right to file suit, while 32 percent say it was wrong and about a quarter are unsure.

A federal judge found last week that Microsoft used its monopoly powers to stifle competition in the Internet browser market. He has yet to rule on a remedy.

Republicans Oppose Charges

Support for the governments action against Microsoft depends on political predispositions. Fifty-five percent of Democrats think the government did the right thing by filing the charges; this falls to 37 percent of Republicans, who are more likely in general to eschew government intervention in the marketplace.

Younger adults are more supportive of the governments action; older Americans are more apt to have no opinion, possibly reflecting less familiarity with computers in general and Microsoft in particular.

Higher-income Americans are more critical of the governments case 46 percent say it was the wrong thing to do. Thats partly because people with higher incomes are more likely to be Republicans. Lower-income Americans are more likely to be undecided, again, probably due to their lower level of familiarity with technology and related issues.

Little Support for Breakup

These divisions are diminished when it comes to the question of whether or not Microsoft should be broken up. Some differences remain, but majorities of all groups think Microsoft should remain a single company.

This ABCNEWS.com survey was conducted by telephone April 5-9 among a random national sample of 1,010 adults. The results have a three-point error margin. Field work was done by ICR-International Communications Research of Media, Pa.