Re: "Infinite Defects"

["Norm" <normanmo@clark.net>]

  On Mon, 17 Nov 1997 08:36:56 -0500 (EST), Pieter Nagel wrote:
  
  >PS: A Frenchman and a South African engaged in heavy debate on a list
  >related to USA antitrust laws... seems out of place.
  >
  >I wish Janet Reno et co would realise this is not a purely domestic
  >issue, but it has impact on the USA's foreign policy and foreign
  >relations.  MS's monopolistic practices are played out on the world
  >stage. Also, the Internet is already a global communications network,
  >so US policy (i.e. encryption) and the behaviour of US companies has
  >global effect.
  
  
       The problem is that it's just this kind of thing that makes the US
  DOJ more reluctant to act.  Many here in the US see M$ as a great
  American success story, and in many circles here in the states it's
  believed that a weaker M$ would mean that the US wouldn't be as strong a
  player in the software industry.
  
       I personally see this as a 'red herring' because although M$ is a US
  company their unethical business practices hurt US companies and US
  consumers just as much if not more than the rest of the world.  But the
  fact that M$ is considered a strong US company does make it that much
  less likely that even if the DOJ will act their actions are liable not to
  have much teeth like the last time.  
  
        Many of our politicians here in the US have received campaign
  donations from M$ too, so even if the DOJ forces M$ into another consent
  decree I doubt they'll have the political courage to do more than slap
  them on the wrist again.  So the best thing to come out of all this may
  be a greater public awareness of how M$ does business, and although this
  wouldn't really be the remedy needed it may at least make people think
  twice before buying M$ products...this may be the best we can get since
  you can bet that M$ has bought off quite a few politicians (and not only
  in the US either).
  
   ...Cheers,
  
   ...Norm
  
  ***********************************************
  * Brought to you by OS/2 Warp v4.0 and PMMail *
  * For a copy of my PGP key send me a message  *
  * with "send pub_key" in the subject          *	
  ***********************************************
  
  PGP Public Key Fingerprint = D3 E9 37 E3 FB 86 1F DF  BC BA 12 B5 D2 26 70 8E