I remember a Simpsons episode where Homer sets up an internet business in his home office, and he's going about not knowing what he's doing and Gates shows up with a few big burly dorks. Gates says he learned he has this company, couldn't figure out what he did, but figures he should buy him out anyway.

Homer is thinking Score! I knew it, I'm rich! Play it cool...

Gates is like, Buy him out boys! The big nerds break all of his stuff and trash the place.

They were monopolistic for sure. Everything happening in every sector of the economy started back in the 80s and 90s if not sooner. By the late 90s the die was cast. Courts and regulators were captured as well as both parties, by an alliance of investors and corporations, with any opposing influences sidelined and diminished. Anti trust, competition laws were not enforced, and it's been nothing but consolidation of industry in every sector since, and unfair competition and market power keeping out challengers and using remaining regulations as market barriers while established players get away with murder.

First in telecommunications, then banking culminating in 1999 bank services modernization act, and the software companies followed by tech companies. They are openly flouting our anti trust laws with impunity, Microsoft has been for decades. Any anti trust has been too little too late, and adjudicated by courts they have senior high tiered leasing rights to.