At 11:48 AM 2/11/98 +0000, Scott Gardner wrote:
>No LBC content here, but this is the biggest group of intelligent,
>insightful and opinionated people I can reach on a short notice, and
>I need to bounce something off of y'all.
WATCH IT!! You just hit the hot button!! ;-)
(The smile is for you, Scott, not for Micros**t)
> If you haven't been following the story,
Oh.... I've been following it allright! That judge is my hero! Long may he
wave!
>the government has accused
>Microsoft of unfair business practices by "bundling" their new
>Internet Explorer 4.0 web browser with Windows 98. The claim is that
>the web browser is NOT an integral part of the operating system, but
>rather is an application program, and that by making it difficult for
>the end user to uninstall IE 4.0, that this will hurt companies such
>as Netscape that make a living selling web browsers, since most users
>will just blindly go with the Microsoft web browser that comes with
>the operating system.
We've already gone "blindly" into windows and it will be the death of us
all. [MY REALISTIC OPINION!] It's time we take off the blinders....
> My question is, how does this differ from auto makers putting radios
>in new cars?
There are enough car manufacturers out there that Motorola or RCA or
Pioneer or whomever can bid on providing radios to the various
manufacturers. If they thought they were being shut out, there would be
suits, believe you me!
> No one could argue that a stereo is essential or
>integral to the operation of an automobile. While some car companies
--snip--
> There are many car audio companies that would presumably make more
>money if new cars didn't come with radios already equipped, so why
>haven't they cried foul yet?
Because they're making money. Probably by replacing the factory stuff. More
expensive to redo than do right. Remember??! ;-)
>While car owners CAN remove the
>factory radio and replace it with an aftermarket radio, this is very
>difficult on some cars due to switch location/integrated dashboards,
>etc., and many owners are just going to stick with the radio that
>came with the car, since it's already there.
> I'm sure there are other products and companies that have similar
>practices, but this was the first one that popped to mind. Any
>opinions?
The difference is you CAN purchase another make of car, one that has
different options. There would be tradeoffs, like there would be with
different operating systems. In reality, Micros**t has the operating
system sewed up. (Let's don't go to the "you can get OS2 or use MacIintosh"
dicsussion... it doesn't wash!): There is only one make and one model. Like
it or lump it. YOu can have red, blue, black, white, or brown. No pink or
green or red/white, etc. Why? Because MS said so? You think you can have it
repainted?? Try it. The car will never run again.
And if I disconnect the power to the radio in the car, the car will still
run. And run fine. With Internet Explorer the code was such that you cannot
even delete the cr*p from your desktop, much less recover wasted space on
your hard drive.
Yes, I'm a bit rabid on the subject. Micros**t cost me a lot of time and
more money than necessary when I lost my hard drive on December 13. My
system is STILL not up to snuff. It woud take days to write what all has
transpired since that time. New CD because MS W95 wouldln't support the
TEAC I had with the full version of W95. Sort of like you can't take beer
and wine in the new car you just bought because you didn't pay MS taxes on
it.
To the gurus out there... don't bother trying to encourage me about
Micros**t tactics. I was here fighting the problem. You didn't see it! It
WAS/IS beyond description. The local experts agree! What happened on my
system should not have happened. But then, I don't use my system in a
"normal" way. I'm always trying something new and different... not fiddling
with settings, but using new software. End of that part of the discussion...
And look at the major software players that are G-O-N-E from the software
scene. They have either disappeared or joined forces with other endangered
species. Any company that didn't conform to the way MS said it must conform
became a target of anhilation by MS. Borland?? WordPerfect joined with
Lotus (I think), then Corel bought WordPerfect. Parsons. HyperAccess caved
in and became the dialer for Windoze. Matt Grey had the choice of taking
the money NOW or getting squashed. When you have the financial resources
that MS has, you can afford to basically give away software to the point
that you bring the competition to its knees and force it out of business,
or at least destroy its viability as a competitor.
Lessee here, Scott... how many opinions are allowed for each poster...?!
Carol
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