Skip site navigation (1)Skip section navigation (2)
Date:      Tue, 19 May 1998 01:05:13 GMT
From:      jak@cetlink.net (John Kelly)
To:        Atipa <freebsd@atipa.com>
Cc:        "Jan B. Koum " <jkb@best.com>, freebsd-chat@FreeBSD.ORG
Subject:   Re: Why we should support Microsoft...
Message-ID:  <3561d69c.198654393@mail.cetlink.net>
In-Reply-To: <Pine.BSF.3.96.980518145641.4694D-100000@altrox.atipa.com>
References:  <Pine.BSF.3.96.980518145641.4694D-100000@altrox.atipa.com>

next in thread | previous in thread | raw e-mail | index | archive | help
On Mon, 18 May 1998 15:02:56 -0600 (MDT), Atipa <freebsd@atipa.com>
wrote:

> Jan B. Koum said:

>> This is about monopoly. Go read some history with the following
>> keywords: Standard Oil, AT&T.  Monopoly is bad for economy.

Not necessarily.

Cisco has achieved 80% monopoly in the Internet router market, but
without using illegal tying contracts and other practices prohibited
by the antitrust laws.  As long as they act lawfully while creating a
monopoly, the law does not judge it as bad.

> Atipa <freebsd@atipa.com> said:

>> Those are commodities that influence the basic needs of people (heat,
>> elctricity, telephones), and not what OS they use to play Quake. If we
>> open the door to this kind of government support, expect a clipper chip
>> inside your phone very shortly.

An OS which drives net commerce is quickly becoming a basic need.

Microsoft, OTOH, has acted unlawfully.  Tying contracts, exclusive
dealing, and other bad practices, not to mention shoddy products, are
their standard operating procedure.  Therefore, the law judges them as
bad, deserving of severe punishment, up to and including destruction.


To Unsubscribe: send mail to majordomo@FreeBSD.org
with "unsubscribe freebsd-chat" in the body of the message



Want to link to this message? Use this URL: <https://mail-archive.FreeBSD.org/cgi/mid.cgi?3561d69c.198654393>