re: CNN Poll

[Mitch Stone <mstone@vc.net>]

In reply to Charles Behney's message sent 1/23/98 9:40 PM:

>Here's some cognitive dissonance regarding CNN polls. Some people think
>big is good, so Bill must be good. But when the questions are posed
>regarding specifice monopoly and business practices, the results will
>skew.

A good call. Cognitive dissonance can sometimes be explained, though, and 
I think a reasonable (partial) explanation is available in this instance. 
I believe most people are not inherently troubled by the "bigness" of 
Microsoft or their success, but can identify when their freedom of choice 
becomes restricted. They may then come to question the means by which it 
became restricted. Perhaps I am imposing my own bias, but I imagine that 
most people would feel much more comfortable with Microsoft's shenanigans 
if more companies existed which could go toe-to-toe with them in the 
marketplace.

There is also a phenomenon found thought society that government 
regulations are good when they protect me from the actions of others, and 
bad when the protect others from my actions.

   Mitch Stone
+---
   Editor, Boycott Microsoft ** http://www.vcnet.com/bms 

   If the price seems too good to be true, it generally is.
                                 -- Jim Lowe, Microsoft attorney