Date: Sun, 22 Nov 1998 12:16:02 -0500 From: Drew Baxter <netmonger@genesis.ispace.com> To: John Kenagy <jktheowl@bga.com>, "Jonathan M. Bresler" <jmb@FreeBSD.ORG> Cc: Charlie Schloemer <smiledon@intop.net>, chuck@ucsd.edu, jkb@best.com, danny@AlphaZed.com, wes@softweyr.com, grog@lemis.com, kbyanc@freedomnet.com, freebsd-advocacy@FreeBSD.ORG Subject: Re: Tell Micro$oft what you think Message-ID: <4.1.19981122120911.00a45680@genesis.ispace.com> In-Reply-To: <Pine.BSF.3.95q.981122094444.9115A-100000@barnowl> References: <199811221309.FAA07281@hub.freebsd.org>
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At 10:05 AM 11/22/98 -0600, John Kenagy wrote: > > >On Sun, 22 Nov 1998, Jonathan M. Bresler wrote: > >> Charlie Schloemer wrote: >> > I have to concur on this one, too. Love or hate Microsoft, they're >> > largely responsible for the the low cost of PC hardware, making their >> > software accessible and easy for home users. I don't care to ever USE any >> > of this software in my lifetime, but I enjoy being able to build a killer >> > system for $1500. FWIW. :-) >> > >> >> Gates often repeats that line....or elaborates on it saying >> that if cars had developed and car prices fallen as fast >> as pcs you could drive from maine to san jose on a single >> tank of gas in less than an hour......detroit responds by >> saying that is true, if you made it.....the car would >> explode killing all passengers before you reched the >> mississippi. > >General Motors issued a response having some of the coments below >(sorry for my paraphrase GM): > > 1. For no reason whatsoever your car would crash twice > a day. > > 2. Every time they repainted the lines on the road you > would have to buy a new car. > > 3. Occasionally, executing a maneuver such as a left turn > would cause your car to shut down and refuse to restart, > in which case you would have to reinstall the engine. > > One more (out of many) and my favorite - > > 4. The air bag would prompt "Are You Sure?" before going off. > > >> the fall in PC prices has nothing to do with MS, neither >> can one atribute increase in performance to MS. rather >> intel and and computer makers have been busting their chops >> trying to keep the hardware improvements from being swamped >> by MS bloatware. >> >Yes, and Bill's comment about the auto industry indicates his very >profound lack of understanding of manufacturing in general. It is >_precision_ of manufacture which makes the machines that make cars, >PCs, the Space Shuttle, the Hubble, etc. possible. > >Bill's software did not provide SUFFICIENT PRECISION to create programs >that drove those machines. Back in the days when PCs were 8 bit and >came in baggies we used CBASIC from Digital Research. It could be >pushed to millionths of an inch. NOTHING from Microsoft could do it. > >> as users of FreeBSD, we should be deeply grateful to these >> hardware companies....we get all the improvement without >> suffering any of the MS induced sludge-ware. >> >> attribute the speedup to the "market forces" if you will, >> but dont credit MS with others work. >> jmb > >Right again, cheap PCs exist because we all were willing to pay for >them. Manufacturers fell over themselves to produce ever cheaper and >more feature loaded boxes. Bill knew when to wear a suit. > >John The PC industry is the way it is for a couple of reasons though. First off, Intel is always looking for a way to make a smaller chip. Second off, Microsoft is tossing money into the Intel pool in order to insure equipment is available to run their software comfortably. One hand washes the others. What I particularly don't like (and this is very typical for Game Consoles, I.e. Nintendo, Sony, etc) is that once a new OS is released, the others are left to fend for themselves. When was the last time a new Super Nintendo game was out? Well probably right before Nintendo 64 came out. That's typical for Windows too. See I don't see this as a problem with, say.. FreeBSD as much, because an upgrade is opening a new window, but also a free window, so you can offset your equipment costs some. At the same time, just about anything will run on FreeBSD, as well as FreeBSD will run on anything. While Netscape may not be too styling on a 486, it'll run at least. Unfortunately Intel thrives on Microsoft's pursuit to make more money. At this time, we need to keep them around. I think you'll find some sort of a massive market where everyone will be making a 'compatible' processor for less though. The bottom line is, if we could find viable competition for Windows (and it seems like we might just be doing that?) then Windows is going to have to do two things. Eliminate Free (Yeah right), or give their users "something for nothing".. In the meantime, at least we have motherboard competition, and cases and stuff. My Dual PII-333 cost probably 1200 bucks, case, board, and processors. Not really bad when I think about it.. That's my rambled input and 2 cents worth. While this may not have anything directly to do with the thread, I figured I'd throw it in anyway. --- Drew "Droobie" Baxter Network Admin/Professional Computer Nerd(TM) OneEX: The OneNetwork Exchange, Bangor Maine USA http://www.droo.orland.me.us To Unsubscribe: send mail to majordomo@FreeBSD.org with "unsubscribe freebsd-advocacy" in the body of the message
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