So ... aren't there things that you want? You certainly can't blame MS, as
a corporate entity, for doing what it does in order to get what it wants,
can you? Why do you think you should make what MS wants YOUR problem? They
haven't done that. You have.
----- Original Message -----
From: "Jeff Hellige" <jhellige_at_earthlink.net>
To: <classiccmp_at_classiccmp.org>
Sent: Monday, January 15, 2001 3:42 PM
Subject: Re: Nuke Redmond!
> >That's what people who don't like MS products should do, IMHO. From what
> >everybody who hates them indicates, there are plenty of options.
Somebody
> >ought to send Judge Jackson a copy of a transcript of this thread.
Clearly,
> >there is no monopoly! Apple produces a competitive GUI, right? OS/2 is
> >better, it just costs a little more, right? LINUX is cheaper, right?
> >Marginally anti-copetitive practices are common in the corporate world.
> >Where's the problem?
>
> My problem with MS isnt' that it has been successful...it's
> that they want you to have one choice for all of your needs...thier
> products.
>
Isn't that what Mobil, or Miller Corp, or General Motors, or Wal-Mart want,
too?
>
>What software companies out there have the resources to
> take MS on if MS truly decided they wanted to move into that area?
> MS is as close to a corporation with unlimited resources as any I can
> think of. They've also become pretty good at dictating what the
> hardware companies do as well due to the way they license their
> software. Sure, there are alternatives, but none that can come even
> close to actually competing. There have been very few times in
> history where a single company had such an impenetrable stranglehold
> on an industry.
>
That, in part, is because so many software vendors went into the marketplace
with their own ideas, completely disregarding what the market demands.
Microsoft became the truly monstrous company it is, not because they started
out with the goal of shoving their products down your throat whether you
wanted them or not, but because so many people wanted what they did produce.
Microsoft's made a ton of dough by giving the public, not what they need,
but what they want.
It's unfortunate that the quality of OS and application software, generally,
is so low, but MS is still pretty much the best that's out there. Notable
exceptions exist, but for the mainstream, it makes sense for people to use
Microsoft's products. Until there is a true competitor, which Apple isn't,
and which IBM isn't, there's no sense in complaining.
>
> Anyway, my 2 cents. I normally don't get into the public MS
> bashing. I've used thier products for years on numerous platforms.
> I guess we can all thank IBM for the current mess due to the generous
> agreements they signed with MS in the beginning of IBM-PC
> development. That, in my opinion, is what provided MS with the
> foothold they needed, as well as the funds.
>
> Jeff
> --
> Collector of Classic Microcomputers and Video Game Systems:
> Home of the TRS-80 Model 2000 FAQ File
> http://www.geocities.com/siliconvalley/lakes/6757
>
>
Received on Mon Jan 15 2001 - 20:09:52 GMT