Re: ``Nothing like a monopoly to get investors to cheer you

[stan johnson <sjohnson@gwi.net>]

** Reply to note from brett@lariat.org Sun, 8 Nov 1998 00:41:03 -0500 (EST) 
>    
> At 10:27 PM 11/7/98 -0500, Charles Behney wrote: 
>   
> >Wall Street loves a Sure Thing. How can you make Linux a darling of stock 
> >analysts?  
>    
> I don't know. However, Linux may (inadvertently) make Microsoft MORE of a 
> darling of stock analysts. Why? Because Linux will prevent any new 
> commercial operating system -- such as BeOS -- from being able to 
> compete with Microsoft's offerings. Linux will compete with them for 
> developer mindshare, for sales, and for capital. The result: Microsoft's 
> position as the ONLY viable commercial option will -- perversely -- be 
> strengthened. Linux will kill off potential competition for it. 
>    
> --Brett 
>    
 
Wait a minute... If Linux becomes such a successful competitor for M$, how   
can it kill off competition for M$? Isn't that strangely circular? Oh, I know! Only   
*commercial* competition is *real* competition! <smacks head> I should have   
realized!  
 
This of course ignores what IMO are a couple of real world facts, as   
contrasted with theory: that no other OS, commercial or non-commercial, has   
been able to compete with M$; and that the reason, in large part, is because   
M$'s mode of operation precludes competition within the customary   
commercial channels. 
 
I am tempted to characterize your position, as I see it, as being that: 
 
1) Linux is the product of a non-viable development model and 
 
2) Linux will successfully compete with M$ in the OS market and 
 
3) Linux will kill competition with M$ in the OS market. 
 
Am I confused? 
 
Stan

-- 
Stan Johnson    TeamOS/2
sjohnson@gwi.net