-----BEGIN PGP SIGNED MESSAGE----- Hash: SHA1 Jerry Davis wrote: > On Saturday 25 February 2006 05:54 am, Craig White wrote: >> On Sat, 2006-02-25 at 02:13 -0700, Joshua Zeidner wrote: >>> Jerry, >>> >>> I don't think so. The real history of american business is 1) >>> innovation, 2) expansion, 3) overbearance, 4) bloat, 5) death. >>> Microsoft is at stage five. Gates was on CSPAN tonight. He looked >>> really nervous, not his usual self assured smugness. As far as Gates >>> billions: today money is way more leveraged and detached from reality >>> than ever. Wealth on paper means nothing. Do you think that Gates >>> can just cash out his stock and buy a south american country or >>> something? Microsoft is not all powerful. The profitable moves that >>> they have available to them are diminishing by the day. And the >>> public( and our government ) is starting to catch on to their tricks. >>> Remember in the first anti-trust trial, one of the key prosecutors had >>> NEVER USED A COMPUTER BEFORE. We have come a long way from those >>> days... >>> >>> Money will buy time... but it wont buy the truth. Microsoft is >>> done. Have some faith in your country... >>> >>> > Looks like the same old blah to me. If m$ was in .ca.us it >>> >>> might be doing >>> >>> > hard time due to the 3 strikes laws, but barring that it'll >>> >>> be business as >>> >>> > usual because the minor legal annoyances don't outweight the >>> >>> ill-gained >>> >>> > income or market share. >>> >>> yep. m$ can't be nailed -- ever. they have too much money and >>> we all know that >>> money talks everything else walks in our system of justice. >> ---- >> First of all - Linux is not the anti-Microsoft foundation...Macintosh >> seems to live for that and please, let us keep it that way. >> >> Secondly, Microsoft has basically vanquished all comers in the Desktop >> OS and Office productivity suite software categories to the point that >> their profits of these 2 categories alone allow them to subsidize huge >> losses in their attempts to gain a stranglehold control over markets >> such as handhelds, phones, gaming consoles, on demand video, digital >> rights management and more. I think you are ringing the death bell way >> too prematurely. >> >> Thirdly, the DOJ had a conviction of Microsoft in their pockets at the >> close of the millenium and the election of George W. Bush, with his >> appointees in the DOJ handing Microsoft a 'Get Out of Jail, Free' card >> immediately after the election ended all efforts/all thoughts about a >> breakup. This administration has little interest in breaking up a >> monopoly held by this huge American corporation, regardless of their >> sins. So much for faith in my country. >> >> Lastly, what does this have to do with Linux? > > > Craig, > > 1. You said in many words what I said in a few. Thanks. > 2. Let me tell you what this has to do with linux. > >> Secondly, Microsoft has basically vanquished all comers in the Desktop >> OS and Office productivity suite software categories to the point that >> their profits of these 2 categories alone allow them to subsidize huge >> losses in their attempts to gain a stranglehold control over markets >> such as handhelds, phones, gaming consoles, on demand video, digital >> rights management and more. > > This is the crucial statement. This has everything to do with linux (or more > particularly FLOSS). Microsoft's stated goal by Bill Gates and the ape-like > man (Balmer), is "Microsoft Everywhere". This is a fact - not surmise. > > Because Microsoft has sown up the Desktop and the Office Productivity suite > they charge mucho bucks for them, and use the profits to get into > "everywhere" else. Even though linux is a good desktop (I have been using it > for years), and OOo is a good office suite (which I have been using for > years), and Samba NOW does a good job of interoperability with Windows. This > is not guaranteed in the future if Microsoft has anything to do with it. Wait > for when microsoft's new file system comes out. Will it be compatible with any > open source projects? I'll bet no. > > Like it or not, we have to work with Microsoft, but conversely Microsoft does > not have to work with us. Why? They are predators, convicted monopolists, and > they have NOT changed their business tactics since the old days -- it has > just gone more underground -- READ harder to prove. > > As long as Microsoft continues to BE a monopoly and continues to charge > horrendous amounts for their cash cows (because they HAVE NO COMPETITION) so > that they can leverage all the other ventures to make their stated goal > happen, we in FLOSS will take a back seat in this country. > > Other countries are trying their best to not be shackled by microsoft, but it > is hard when one of the world's richest companies can foil those attempts by > any means necessary. > > I believe strongly in FLOSS, and I believe also that our government and > governments around the world should be biased in favor of FLOSS and not > microsoft until PARITY in the market is reached, and THEN and only then let > us duke it out in the marketplace based upon feature/benefits. > > Some wise person once said "you are either for me, or against me". There is no > middle ground in this battle. And if you don't think this is a battle for the > mind and control of everyone on this planet that owns a personal computer you > are very much mistaken. > > This is more than I've ever said on this subject, but I hope you understand > that this HAS EVERYTHING to do with linux/FLOSS. > > Jerry > Unfortunately, I have to agree. We just don't like to talk about it much. :-( - -- KevinO -----BEGIN PGP SIGNATURE----- Version: GnuPG v1.2.4 (GNU/Linux) Comment: Using GnuPG with Mozilla - http://enigmail.mozdev.org iD8DBQFEAfc4I3MJ/OwKti0RAr6AAJ9AaMVFjaeG1E479S8R8MhyiJZ1RACgjDce kQEBAi+i5JaBOIh2LJWurrk= =ENnl -----END PGP SIGNATURE----- --------------------------------------------------- PLUG-discuss mailing list - PLUG-discuss@lists.plug.phoenix.az.us To subscribe, unsubscribe, or to change you mail settings: http://lists.PLUG.phoenix.az.us/mailman/listinfo/plug-discuss