[Am-info] Microsoft Admits XP Media Player Spies on Users

[Mike Stephen]

On Fri, 22 Feb 2002 16:36:28 -0800, Mitch Stone wrote:

>Well so long as WMP is still "free," we can't complain.
>
>Didn't realize you were still around, Steve. Good to hear from you again.
>
>On Friday, February 22, 2002, at 03:18 PM, Steve Cohen wrote:
>
>> http://newsfactor.com/perl/story/16455.html
>
>   Mitch Stone
>   mitch@accidentalexpert.com
>

Hmmm well as long as Internet Explorer is "free" I guess we can't complain...  Hmmm as long as 
Windows is free I guess we can't complain.  "What do you mean Windows is not free?  It came with 
my computer!"

Because Microsoft includes anything inside of a Windows operating system package does not mean 
it is free.  You paid for it with the Microsoft tax, as well as paid the price of not having an alternative 
media player.  If there is no incentive for anyone to write a better product we will be stuck in the 
cesspool of Microsoft mediocrity.

It seems all the solutions offered to the microsoft problem fail to take into consideration that unless 
all computers are made available without operating system software, we have all decided that 
Windows will be the standard for years to come.  There is no incentive for anyone to write a better 
operating system.  And very few people will remove a "free" (as in included with the hardware) 
Windows to replace it with anything else no matter what the cost. 

It seems all the Anti Microsoft monopoly people are agreeing to maintain that monopoly, by virtue of 
the fact that 98% of all desktop computers sold come with an operating system.  

Personally I would like to see a viable alternative commercial operating system for Intel and Mac 
computers.  Unless the hardware and software are separated at the time of purchase we will never 
see that opportunity.  Both the current operating systems that are included with the hardware (OSX 
and Windows XP), are in my opinion horrible examples of poor design.  But we will never see 
alternatives if the playing field is not leveled.


Separate the hardware sales from the sale of software.


>From the Desk of Mike Stephen