[Date Prev][Date Next][Thread Prev][Thread Next][Date Index][Thread Index]

Re: uninstallation

In reply to Christopher Pall's message sent 1/26/98 12:19 PM:

>I am referring to this question: "Why should I support Apple? Then I'm 
>stuck with
>another monopolistic system without open standards." Apple doesn't support
>competition any more than Microsoft in Operating Systems, in fact, you 
>might say
>less so. It isn't even a viable choice for me simply because of the immediate
>economic implications I would face.

I was afraid that's what you meant. Look, is Buick a monopoly because 
only they can sell Buicks? Of course not -- the whole idea is ludicrous. 
Buick might be a monopoly if they held a 90% market share, and were in 
the process of mopping up the other 10%. But they are thankfully in a 
competitive marketplace, full of other cars that only one manufacturer is 
lawfully able to produce. Owning and selling a patented or copyrighted 
product does NOT a monopoly make.

>
>The telephone industry as an example of regulation doesn't apply to the 
>software
>industry. You can't apply your notions of what a regulated industry is 
>from one
>industry to another. Cars aren't regulated in the same way that the Long 
>Distance
>industry, broadcasting, or oil industry is.

Autos are not a regulated industry because the auto industry is 
competitive.

>I don't expect Microsoft to be a benevolent company. Sooo.. Why can't we 
>create a
>market which encourages open standards? There needs to be a "punishment" for
>those companies who won't publish changes to their API or file formats 
>which have
>been changed to make competition disapear.

And leave the OS monopoly in place (and in fact to memorialize it as a 
permanent fixture)? Please, no thank you. I would much rather see a 
healthy variety of competitive, innovative, and yes, proprietary OS 
software then the rickety system of regulations you propose.

   Mitch Stone
   Editor, Boycott Microsoft
   http://www.vcnet.com/bms 
 +---
   He not only wants to win, but he wants to kill the competition. 
   He wants to bury the wounded. --- James Wallace, on Bill Gates