Re: bundling is inherently unfair to consumers

["Eric M. Hopper" <hopper@omnifarious.mn.org>]

On Tue, Dec 14, 1999 at 12:24:34AM -0500, Lewis A. Mettler wrote:
> Eric,
> 
> "Eric M. Hopper" wrote:
> > 
> > On Mon, Dec 13, 1999 at 10:55:41PM -0500, Lewis A. Mettler wrote:
> > > >     <raising my hand>  Exception.
> > >
> > > Send your $100.  I'll forward the software you just bought.
> > 
> >         Well, tell me what's in the package, and I might very well do
> > that.  Heck, if it gets you to stop harping on this silly point, it'll
> > be worth whatever you send me, so what's your address?
> 
> The point proves your refusal to give up your right to pick and choose
> your own products.
> 
> Did you buy the bubblegum too?

	No, because I don't _want_ the bubblegum, and I don't want the
other product enough to take the bubblegum with it.  If you really
wanted to make your point here, you should've had it bundled with half a
ton of raw sewage.

	Bundling Windows with half a ton of raw sewage is wrong.
Bundling Red Hat with it wouldn't be because you could go get Debian if
you wanted.  Bundling it with Mac OS or Solaris is pretty iffy, since
they're both monopoly products in their market space.  Bundling it with
LANtastic would be downright stupid because nobody wants LANtastic
anyway.  (I had the great misfortune of being a LANtastic network
administrator once).

	I'm perfectly happy to agree with you that bundling a product
with a monopoly product is generally harmful, even to lots of die-hard
Windowz users.

	I'm not willing to agree that bundling in general is harmful.
In the tire case, even if they 'gave away' meat with their tires year
round, it'd be perfectly OK because I could go buy someone else's tires.

	I, in fact, am willing to buy whatever software you have
bundled, or even a case of bubblegum.  I'll buy it as long as it comes
bundled with you shutting up about that stupid, meaningless point.  Of
course, that is illegal monopoly bundling since it's a product only you
can produce, but I don't even care about that right now.

Have fun (if at all possible),
-- 
Its name is Public Opinion.  It is held in reverence. It settles everything.
Some think it is the voice of God.  Loyalty to petrified opinion never yet
broke a chain or freed a human soul.     ---Mark Twain
-- Eric Hopper (hopper@omnifarious.mn.org
                http://ehopper-host105.dsl.visi.com/~hopper) --