Date: Mon, 17 Apr 2000 10:41:07 -0500 From: "G. Adam Stanislav" <adam@whizkidtech.net> To: J McKitrick <jcm@freebsd-uk.eu.org>, chat@FreeBSD.ORG Subject: Re: M$ anti-trust case Message-ID: <3.0.6.32.20000417104107.0088ee50@mail85.pair.com> In-Reply-To: <20000417160713.B27040@dogma.freebsd-uk.eu.org>
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At 16:07 17-04-2000 +0100, J McKitrick wrote:
>At the risk of rehashing old material, i got into a debate with my dad over
>this case. He's asking me how it has hurt him to buy software that does
>what he wants for as cheap as he has gotten it.
It has hurt him in ways he does not realize. Your point about no developer
wanting to compete is the key. How many times have I thought how I could do
something better than what's out there, but why should I spend my own time
and energy doing it when I know I'd be eaten alive by the sharks.
It is so damn hard for the small guy to do anything in the software
industry anymore! I used to be an extremely active software developer,
introduced many products that spread around the world very fast, and that
was before the Internet became so popular. For example, one day I posted a
new program on a BBS in Pittsburgh, and the very next day I received
Fidonet email about it from someone in Australia.
But I never made any money doing that. In fact, I lost a lot of money that
way. So, some ten years ago or so, I swore I'd never release any more of my
software. I felt so abused.
It was not until about two years ago, when I got into FreeBSD, that I
started releasing software again, but this time did not even try to make
money on it...
I have finally released a project very recently that I am hoping people
will pay for (it's for Windows, not for FreeBSD, though). I did that for
the first time after so many years. I am trying some new strategies. The
software is fully functional, but does a lot more for people who register.
It's been about ten days now: People are downloading it like hotcakes
(especially right now after I somehow managed to become the very first
thing that comes up on the screen when AOL users search for Photoshop
plug-ins). We'll see if anyone ever decides to pay for it though.
But the fact remains the same: If no one ever pays (or few do), I will stop
working on it once again. If I were just selling it through retail markets,
people would buy it, I am sure of it. But it is virtually impossible for a
small guy to penetrate retail markets, no thanks to M$.
So, yes, your dad *is* losing. Even if my software is probably not
something your dad would be interested in (highly specialized Photoshop
plug-ins aimed at professional photographers), I am sure I am not the only
developer who has felt the way like I did for so many years (i.e., why even
bother developing good quality software).
And it is not only about financial monopoly. It is about the new kind of
computer user M$ has created: People who do not want power software. People
who do not want quality. They are used to mediocrity. They are *afraid* of
power and quality. They have been treated like dummies for so long they
*believe* they are dummies.
After all, why doesn't the whole world just dump Windows and switch to
FreeBSD? The "price" is certainly competitive. They have been duped into
believing they could never handle something like FreeBSD.
Cheers,
Adam
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