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
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