Re: CFA: Microsoft overcharges consumers $10 billion in 3 years

[Wandered Inn <esoteric@denali.atlnet.com>]

Steve Cohen wrote:

<snip>

> One thing I guess you can credit Windows for - making mass computing possible
> and forcing the demand for more powerful machines, and therefore the supply
> of them.  Without it would the 486 be the majority machine of choice today?

I disagree.  Would there be no cars on the road if Ford never built
one?  I don't credit Microsoft for anything.  There are lot of smart
folks in the world, and we would have had the machines regardless..

> What would a Pentium cost?

I actually think that if Intel hadn't been in bed with MS for so long
and spec'ing their processors toward that end, that we would probably be
further along then we are.  It's not really the OS that's driving the
hardware needs as much as it is the apps.  Games, graphics and such.

> 
> That doesn't mean, of course that it's needed today.  There are a wealth of
> alternatives.  If Microsoft closed its doors tomorrow, someone would fill the
> gap.  I wouldn't mind, though actually seeing a slowdown in the rate of
> hardware power increase.  Seems like we don't even get to digest today's new
> hardware; it's obsolete the minute we get it out the door.

I sometimes wonder whether or not Intel already has the chips built they
are going to announce in the year 2025.  You know, they figured all the
engineering and physics out long ago and didn't want to jump from the
386 16 Mhz to the 1086 1500 Ghz chip.  They figure they could sell a lot
of stuff between the two.  I know corporations plan on replacing PC's
about every three years.

I don't think that the sudden upward swing in processor speed has been
an accident.  Intel's no longer alone....


--
Until later: Geoffrey		esoteric@denali.atlnet.com

You mean you paid MONEY for Service Pack '98????