Date: Sat, 30 Jun 2001 00:15:46 -0600
From: Wes Peters <wes@softweyr.com>
To: Shannon Hendrix <shannon@widomaker.com>
Cc: freebsd-advocacy@FreeBSD.ORG
Subject: Re: Lets not bash Windows or M$ at every opportunity {was: FreeBSD and Microsoft}
Message-ID: <3B3D6E92.8C9D5DCD@softweyr.com>
References: <20010629230803.A18249@hades.hell.gr> <20010629230718.C3383@widomaker.com>
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Shannon Hendrix wrote:
>
> On Fri, Jun 29, 2001 at 11:08:03PM +0300, Giorgos Keramidas wrote:
>
> > If by 'better products' you mean Windows, then I'd have to be the
> > devil's advocate and suggest that Windows does have some good things
> > that Linux and/or FreeBSD don't have. For instance, they do have
> > support for more multimedia file formats.
> [snip]
>
> This is by design. They create a constant stream of new and different
> media formats, and refuse to disclose the details so that all platforms
> can easily use them. There is no reason for this other than your basic,
> predatory, monopolistic tactics.
>
> This doesn't make Windows better in any sense of the word, it only makes
> the overall plan that much more wrong.
>
> > I am also afraid of seeing something bad happen, such as the Justice
> > Department winning Microsoft in this case, and making a habit of stopping
> > companies that grow `large' in their opinion.
>
> Um... anti-trust has been in effect for nearly 100 years, and Microsoft
> isn't the first to be targeted. IMHO, not enough was done, and I just
> read in the paper that the breakup of Microsoft has been overruled.
The papers have all been saying that, but that isn't what happened.
The ruling said the "findings of law", that Microsoft *is* a monoply and
*is* guilty of predatory practices, were all upheld by the appeals court.
What they said is that Judge Jackson made remarks that could be prejudicial
to Microsoft during the penalty phase of the trial, so the penalty phase
will have to be re-tried.
> Microsoft is getting a slap on the wrist compared to other companies.
No, IBM got a slap on the wrist. Standard Oil and Bell Telephone both got
split up, and ultimately thrived because of it. Microsoft probably would,
too; be careful what you wish for.
> So, it appears the trend is to be _easier_ on large companies, not
> harder.
That's certainly what the talking heads are saying about the Bush administration.
Time will tell.
> > Then as time passes, this `large' might begin to shrink in size, and that
> > would be most improper.
>
> The government would never do that, because then the sums of money
> thrown to the pigs in DC would also grow smaller. You need to think more
> like a CongressCritter(TM) sometimes... :)
God no.
--
"Where am I, and what am I doing in this handbasket?"
Wes Peters Softweyr LLC
wes@softweyr.com http://softweyr.com/
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