Re: Nation piece

["Erick Andrews" <eandrews@star.net>]

  On Sun, 23 Nov 1997 19:15:18 -0500 (EST), Scott K. McGrath wrote:
  
  >Andrew; Good article.  I was agreeing with you up until the very last sentence.
  >
  >Consumers are -not- going to rise up in revolt against Microsoft in -my-
  >lifetime.  Hell, if you ask someone what word processor they use, they'll most
  >likely say "Windows 95"...
  >
  >They do not know the difference between an application and an operating system
  >and, frankly, they don't care... The fact that some company has an illegally
  >obtained stranglehold on the market means zip to them.  -If- they decide to
  >change their word processor, and that is a -BIG- -if-, they'll have to upgrade
  >their operating system.
  >
  >At that time, they'll be told by the geek in CompUSA that "Sorry, you can't run
  >that on your machine.  If you want to run it, you'll have to upgrade to the
  >latest machine which has the latest OS on it and, oh, by the way?  It also has
  >that software on it, all ready to go!"
  >
  >The solution to the problem is left to the student...
  >
  >Scott K. McGrath
  >mcgrats@ix.netcom.com
  
  <large snippage>
  
  I disagree about leaving the problem "to the student".
  
  Perhaps the 'silent majority' may not give a sweet one, but I don't sleep
  with them.  We do live with them, though, and students we all be.
  
  There may be a lot of morons who buy and sell products, but that doesn't 
  mean that the rest of us have no say-so.  Perhaps I feel slightly charitably 
  lately when I would endeavour to teach the ignorant of what's coming down
  the pike.  Yeah I know, if we could only (figuratively) hit them over the head 
  with a club, they just might appreciate a few of these risky issues for their 
  own good.
  
  But I won't tell them what to do...without informed consent.
  
  I am, however, optimistic that, industry leaders, technical savvy business folks,
  and Mr. Nader, that are in the know will continue to educate.  Let's not roll over
  and play dead.
  
  Scott, I think that getting peoples' attention is what is now beginning to happen.
  And if we don't, one thing for sure:  THEY WILL CONTINUE TO HAVE TO 
  UPGRADE, often.
  
  Erick Andrews