Re: why... Indeed...

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

  All this paranoia about Microsoft ruling the universe is totally unfounded
  in fact. Are you folks hearing voices that tell you this, or listening to
  facts? Maybe the following will give you some obviously much needed frame
  of reference.
  
  Microsoft "is" a leader in the computer industry, yet it still accounts for
  less than 2 percent of industry revenues, which were approximately $570
  billion in 1996. Tens of thousands of companies compete in the computer
  industry, many of which, such as IBM ($75 billion), Hitachi ($69 billion),
  and Hewlett Packard ($38 billion), have revenues that dwarf those of
  Microsoft ($11 billion). Even in the software segment of the computer
  industry, Microsoft accounts for less than 4 percent of total software
  industry revenues of $250 billion. The largest is IBM, with $13 billion.
  
  Yes, IBM is the largest software company in terms of revenue. Fact. 
  
  Is the 2% or the 4% the Microsoft monopoly that this list is scared to
  death of? I wasn't a math or statistics or economics major but even 4% is
  very, very far from a monopoly even to the most paranoid.
  
  If you would start by doing some research about the computer industry and
  about Microsoft, I think that you would find that about 85%-90% of the
  cliches being thrown about as fact in this discussion list would be proved
  totally unfounded. And you guys are so upset about Microsoft being
  misleading. P-l-e-a-s-e...
  
  If this discussion was about Sun or Netscape or whomever, I would be just
  as adamant about being factual. 
  
  
  Charles
  
  
  
  At 03:17 PM 11/9/97 -0500, Kendall G. Clark wrote:
  >On Sun, 9 Nov 1997, Mitch Stone wrote:
  >
  >>In reply to Charles Kelly, NT*Pro's message sent 11/9/97 6:07 AM:
  >>
  >>>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. 
  >
  >[snip of Mitch's excellent response]
  >
  >Mitch,
  >
  >I agree with you wholeheartedly, but there is a sense in which the poster of
  >the above words is exactly right.
  >
  >I'm sure he WOULD feel more comfortable if we would lay off the criticism of
  >MS. After all, something might actually come of it, and MS might actually
  have
  >to CHANGE some of their practices.
  >
  >What the poster needs to remember is that this list wasn't established for
  his
  >comfort level, nor do we oppose MS for his comfort level. 
  >
  >We oppose MS because we won't be comfortable until the threat of one company
  >dominating the computer/cable/internet/online commerce industries is over.
  >
  >Nice reply!
  >
  >Best,
  >
  >Â Â Â Kendall Clark