Re: Biased journalism, or let's try to ask Declan some questions he can sink his teeth into

[Sujal Shah <sujal@worldnet.att.net>]

Declan McCullagh wrote:

<SNIP>

> 
> I think technology may have outpaced the law's ability to keep up. That's
> why I think the best way to take on Microsoft is through private community
> (virtual and otherwise) activism without relying on the Feds. Boycotts,
> consumer alerts, and so on. That's how you can raise awareness and
> convince people, if you like, that buying Microsoft is a bad idea.
> 

<SNIP>

Declan,

	I do have a question for you to consider:  What type of activism do you
think will be successful with the current state of the market?  I'm
asking for specific programs or campaigns you think would be successful.

	My concern is that it's already too late for that type of action.  On
top of that, I don't believe enough people care enough to make the type
of tough choices which will make any sort of boycott effective.  Too
many people rely on Microsoft's software on a daily basis.  On top of
that, too many software manufacturers have already "bet the farm" on the
Microsoft platforms, and are streamlining their production to target
only that platform (not necessarily because they prefer that platform,
either).

	Though I am normally as skeptical of government intervention and "big"
government, in this case I believe it to be a required path.  Not one
person in the popular press or in my own private circle of friends and
colleagues has been able to even imagine a remotely believable path for
non-governmental intervention or activism to work.

	I'm wondering what possibilities you see?

	It is important to remember that antitrust actions don't need to break
up a company, nor does it require that a company be irreparably harmed
in order to succeed.  

	I can say that I have specific remedies in mind when I say that an
antitrust suit is the best path.  Specifically, the type of tying
contracts that Microsoft uses must be eliminated.  They're illegal
anyway, though it will require a court to open up the contracts for
someone to examine.

	Activism has an important role in this situation, but it has a limited
strength in the face of an entrenched enemy.  Especially when the issue
doesn't evoke the type of emotional response that racism or other issues
do.  Without some serious change in the contractual world that Microsoft
has created with hardware manufacturers and major software vendors,
consumers will only care when it is too late, and Microsoft already
controls 99%+ of the personal entertainment and business computing
market, hardware, software, and content inclusively.

	I do believe that with a change in that contractual space, Microsoft
will become just another company vying for our time and interest,
because they will have to compete on something else.  They will still
have the Windows franchise, and will still play a dominant role, but it
won't be so hard for other OS and software manufacturers to enter and
compete in the marketplace.

	having worked on the JavaReady project for a little while, and having
done some independant looking around at how OEM's do business, it is
clearly impossible for a OS publisher/manufacturer to enter into the
market.  Too many vendors will sell only Microsoft.  Period.  End of
story.  Including a controversial product (i.e. Netscape, an independant
VM, Corel PerfectOffice,etc), "not enough demand," which seems
ludicrous.  Considering all of the press about lack of choice,
considering open letters from Nader and Love, considering the thousands
of individuals who have called and asked for something different (myself
included), why hasn't one major vendor (in the top 6) chosen to add some
alternative products to their mainstream offerings?

I'm skeptical, Declan, that pure activism will accomplish anything (or
that pure government intervention will do anything).  I don't think
you're biased, or bought-off.  I do think, however, that you've
oversimplified an issue that is too complex to rely on a single remedy. 
The situation is not at a neutral point now.  Microsoft clearly has the
leverage to affect each and every one of us in our daily lives, whether
we want to or not.  No remedy alone will accomplish anything useful. 
Only a carefully considered and coordinated massaging of the Microsoft
issue will result in anything useful.  Microsoft will be around for a
while, but as a people, we just need to reassert that we, all of the
consumers out there, have the final say on what goes into a product.

Sujal

-- 
------ Sujal Shah ---- sujal@worldnet.att.net

       http://home.att.net/~sujal/
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