SEATTLE - Microsoft founder Bill Gates - tired of listening to federal and state prosecutors, industry rivals, and consumer and antitrust activists say unkind things about his company - today accused critics of creating a "witch-hunt atmosphere" and unfairly tarring the software superpower's reputation. At Microsoft's annual shareholders meeting, Gates blamed a recent increase in what he called "anti-Microsoft activities" on an unprecedented effort coordinated by its biggest industry rivals.
Gates referred specifically to recent action against the company by the Justice Department and to a two-day conference on Microsoft convened in Washington over the past two days by consumer-activist Ralph Nader, which featured some of the company's harshest critics.
"We do have some competitors who have chosen to fund these things and promote these activities in order to handicap Microsoft in the competitive market," Gates said.
He said the alignment of IBM, Oracle, and Sun Microsystems had created "a level of competition beyond what we've seen in the past."
Gates promised that Microsoft will respond.
"You'll see us speaking back in terms of asking people to look into what motivates these attacks and what's really behind them," he said.
Gates also said he would like to see more recognition for Microsoft's positive contribution to the computer revolution, "because this is not a country where success and great products should be punished."
