RE: Refund for Bundled Win95

[Mitch Stone <mstone@vc.net>]

  In reply to David E. Y. Sarna's message sent 11/9/97 3:34 PM:
  
  >No one is forced to bundle Microsoft products with their hardware. It is
  >slanderous to say otherwise.
  
  Let's examine this curious premise for a moment:
  
  Prior to the consent decree of two years ago, if PC manufacturer X wished 
  to bundle Windows or MS-DOS with even a single computer, they were 
  compelled to pay Microsoft a license fee for every box they sold. So 
  technically you are correct -- they weren't forced to bundle the product, 
  they (and consumers) were simply forced to pay for it either way.
  
  And before you reply "but they no longer do this," I will ask the 
  rhetorical question "and why not?" and then ask the less rhetorical 
  question, "how is the IE4 tying requirement substantially different in 
  character then the late  lamented CPU tax?" 
  
  I can tell you: It's the same all-or-nothing package, wrapped with a 
  different ribbon.
  
  Slanderous, my left foot.
  
     Mitch Stone
  +---
     Forsan et haec olim meminisse juvabit. (Perhaps, someday, 
     it will give us pleasure to remember this ordeal).  
                                      --  Virgil
  
     Boycott Microsoft ** http://www.vcnet.com/bms