Re: Just wondering...

[John N Bryan <johnb@austin.rr.com>]

At 8:11 PM -0600 12/28/98, Simon Cooke wrote:

>I know this list is called the "Appraising Microsoft" list, but from some
>of the participants - Mitch, who runs the boycott Microsoft site, Jamie,
>who spent a spell on the MSNBC Technology BBS trying to convince everyone
>that MS was up to no good, etc etc, I get the feeling that a more accurate
>name would be "Anti Microsoft".
>

Your questions are both appropriate, and understandable I think.
Many here indeed, I suppose, have already made up their minds --
hopefully based on sufficiently broad, factual information.
I myself have made up my mind, and like to think I am willing
to change it based on information new to me.  I haven't seen any.
Certainly not enough yet to outweigh that on which my current opinion
is based.  Some indeed may have already completed their appraisal
and are still here.  Given there continue to be new subscribers,
I think we can expect opinions from those who are at different points
along the appraisal spectrum.

Personally, I was relatively innocent of any opinion re
Microsoft/BillGates one way or the other prior to my getting on-
line in September, 1995.  I knew they had won the Apple "look
and feel" suit, and I had some experience with an XT class DOS
machine, Macs, but mostly Unix, (university and job).

The various net-based news sites, and tech news sites, I soon learned,
wrote about happenings in the industry that I never would have seen
from my usual paper media, (NYTimes), or televised offerings.
Largely from these sources, and, overtime, other sites, (Mitch's
for example), and books, (eg. Wendy's The Microsoft File), I learned
about the long history that Microsoft has of apparently abusing its
de facto monopoly power and otherwise strong arming would be competitors
and partners, along with other deeds I deem disreputable. Such is my take.

The opinion I have of Microsoft, Bill Gates, and their collective
and respective behaviors over the years is based less, I think, on
divine intervention, (Damascan revelations not withstanding), and more
on what I perceive to be facts that I have gleaned from all the above
sources -- over time.

It may be the case that "everyone else" DOES do it -- I don't know.
Nonetheless, it would not lessen my revulsion for the _behavior_ I
understand MS-BG to have demonstrated.  Were it not for this behavior,
I don't think I would have such a, at times, vitriolic attitude
towards them.

So far as opinions from the other camp, there have been, and I suspect
-are-, those who have subscribed to this list from time to time,
and have argued their points.  Some that might be in this category
are our friends Declan McCullough and David Sarna.  The latter I
believe to be a repeat subscriber, whose business apparently relies
signifantly on usage and distribution of Microsoft products:
(http://www.objectsoft.com).  They of course may not see themselves
as being "pro-Microsoft", but perhaps in comparison, they sound like it.

If not already known, this list was originally intended for discussions
preceding the "Appraising Microsoft and Its Global Strategies" Conference
of November 1997, (http://www.appraising-microsoft.org/), sponsored by
Ralph Nader and James Love, through the Essential Information and
Consumer Project on Technology organizations,( http://www.essential.org
and http://www.cptech.org/).  Considering the topics of the conference,
I don't find it surprising that there now remain one year after the
actual conference a greater number of Microsoft detractors than supporters.

Best,
John B

-John Bryan
johnb@austin.rr.com
http://home.austin.rr.com/johnb/