Re:why...

["Charles Kelly, NT*Pro" <ckelly@cpcug.org>]

  Its pretty obvious why, Tod. They bought because they trusted and believed
  in Microsoft. They also bought because they liked the products. Its is a
  real simple equation. You bought OS/2 and OS/2 products because you liked
  it. Millions of others bought Windows and Microsoft products because they
  liked them. There are many, many more of them than people like you. They
  voted with their dollars. The election is over, though it is repeated on
  very regular cycles. And voters are notoriously fickle... <G>
  
  My theory is that people buy hardware and operating systems as "necessary
  evils " to run the applications they like--for home consumers they buy
  computers to run games and financial management software like Quicken and
  whatever else they want/like. The things they want to do and the programs
  they want to run happen to be more available and often better on the
  Windows/Intel platform. Those who want to buy non-Intel (I'm writing this
  on an AMD processor for instance) and non-Microsoft (and I use Eudora as my
  preferred e-mail client because I like it) do so, just in smaller numbers.
  
  As to your assertion that "...millions of consumers were lied to, cajoled,
  intimidated and otherwise overwhelmed by unfair practices...", well what
  can I say Tod. I give consumers credit as fairly intelligent people who
  generally make informed decisions and choices. 
  
  I am the leader of a couple of non-profit associations of hundreds of
  thousands of consumers responsible for hundreds of millions of dollars of
  purchases each and every year. I happen to think those consumers make
  informed and intelligent choices and I staunchly defend their right to do
  so. One of the reasons that these hundreds of thousands join our
  non-profits is to be able to get an independent, unbiased, professional
  source of information and support. We don't hate anybody and are very
  supportive of good technology regardless of its source.
  
  There actually seem to be a lot of intelligent, otherwise well informed
  people on this list. If they were just a little less consumed with blinding
  hatred I think that they would be able to make more objective statements
  and decisions. It may well be that they would end up in the same place, but
  at least it would be less "hate-driven". This concerns me because most
  "hate-driven" groups that I know of in history have not been looked upon
  favorable in historical accounts.
  
  I'd feel more comfortable with people who are positive advocates for
  whatever their position is. Be an advocate for Sun, be an advocate for
  Linux, be an advocate for OS/2, be an advocate for Microsoft -- "whatever
  floats your boat." At least when you are an advocate for something you take
  time to really get to know it. This "I hate Microsoft" is fear driven from
  the unknown. I doubt if anyone on this list really knows much about
  Microsoft other that what they fear. I really feel that if they knew more
  about the company and their practices (not the imagined ones) that they
  would at least have a chance to see these issues in a more balanced light. 
  
  The old axiom "We always fear most that of which we know least..." comes to
  mind frequently as I read postings to this list.
  
  Have a great day...
  Charles
  
  
  
  
  
  At 02:28 AM 11/9/97 -0500, moonwolf@earthling.net wrote:
  >** Reply to note from operator@essential.essential.org Sat, 8 Nov 1997
  15:09:02 -0500 (EST)
  >
  >(excerpt from letter by Charles Kelly to NT*Pro people)
  >
  >> Millions of consumers have voted to purchase Microsoft 
  >> products--almost always when other products (and often dominant and    
  >> technically superior products) existed on the marketplace. 
  >
  >
  >This is the line that always gets me.  Please explain to
  >me why millions of consumers would buy a technically
  >INFERIOR product that does not have a significant
  >marketshare.  These millions of consumers obviously
  >cannot be 
  >
  >" . . . like me (C.Kelly) who are  technically savvy and
  >really do understand both the issues and the economics."
  >
  >
  >Seems to me that these millions of consumers were lied
  >to, cajoled, intimidated and otherwise overwhelmed by
  >unfair practices into making the absolutely wrong
  >decision.  Wht would anyone buy a technically inferior
  >product for their COMPUTER!
  >
  >
  >--
  >Ed
  >--
  >
  >Team OS/2
  >MoonWolf Enterprises
  >Edward R. Mortimer moonwolf@earthling.net
  >The Land of Beyond  http://www.trailerpark.com/moonwalk/moonwolf/index.html
  >---------------------------------------------------------------------------