RE: Strategic Orientation - Scope, Scale, or Means of Monopoly

[Mitch Stone <mstone@vc.net>]

In reply to John Robert BEHRMAN's message sent 4/21/98 8:01 PM:

>So, how did MS one-up these others? He does not say. But, he certainly does
>illuminate the compound effect of small, early departures from commodity
>standards.
>
>I think the foundation of MS monopoly, the apex of an upside down pyramid,
>is HIMEM.SYS, EMM386.SYS, IFSHELP.SYS, MODE.COM, PRINT.COM. These are where
>MS and Compaq started trying to "add value" while preserving "IBM
>compatibility". Of these, IFSHELP.SYS is now the only important one.
>
>IFSHELP.SYS is where MS was able to break OS/2.

Perhaps, but did these DOS tinkers occur before or after MSFT imposed the 
CPU tax? Wasn't their ability to prevent the competition from obtaining 
meaningful access to the clone market where the rubber really hit the 
road? The creation of these "product differentiations" are are only truly 
significant in terms of creating customer lock-in, when access to 
competitive products is also artificially restricted.

   Mitch Stone
   Editor, Boycott Microsoft
   http://www.vcnet.com/bms 
 +---
   No shark ever doubts that it is well fitted out. --- Lewis Carroll