ON-LINE SERVICES FILE COMPLAINT AGAINST MICROSOFT

     Microsoft's foes launched a potent new attack that has
opened yet another inquiry into Microsoft's business tactics."
America Online, Compuserve and Prodigy, "the Big Three home-
oriented online services," charge that Microsoft's impending
entry into the on-line market  "constitutes an unfair advantage."
The on-line services fear "devastating competition" from
Microsoft, which intends to incorporate its own on-line service
into the next version of its DOS/Windows operating system, which
now controls 80% of the world's personal computers.  Microsoft
spokesperson on legal affairs Greg Shaw:  "This is to be
expected."  Shaw noted that the company has anticipated for
months that federal investigators will review the company's on-
line plans.  In other on-line news, America Online announced that
German media conglomerate Bertelsmann's $50M investment will give
them a 5% stake in the service.  The two companies' planned
venture to provide on-line services in Europe will be split 50-50
(James Coates, CHICAGO TRIBUNE, 3/2).