Gates on screen at Microsoft trial

VIDEO TESTIMONY by Bill Gates, Microsoft chairman, will be offered in evidence this week in the US antitrust trial on whether the software group illegally misused monopoly power. The government will tomorrow begin showing eight hours of testimony culled from a 20-hour deposition.

Snatches of the testimony have already been played. Attorney David Boies opened the government's case last week by using excerpts in an effort to show that the Microsoft chairman's sworn statements contradicted internal e-mails he had sent. On video Mr Gates said he never considered investing in rival Internet browser company Netscape, but he appeared to raise this possibility in a memo on 31 May 1995. The government alleges Microsoft competed unfairly in the market for Internet web browsers in an attempt to kill Netscape.