__/ [ hawat.thufir@xxxxxxxxx ] on Sunday 09 July 2006 21:58 \__
> Aunty Diluvian wrote:
> [...]
>> >With this high-level corporate censorship, it's not really surprising
>> >that "Linux just doesn't fit their perceived model of a computer.".
>>
>> Linux does not fit the perceived model of a computer of many
>> people. It is a cheap shot at capitalism from socialist do-gooders.
>> While that may work well in the third world countries is flies
>> in the face of everything that is America.
> [...]
>
> Err, railroad trusts in the 1800's weren't "American," that was
> capitalism run amok, otherwise known as laissez faire capitalism, which
> is almost univeresally rejected now..
>
> Competition, capitalism *is* the preferred model. However, microsoft
> has achieved, effectively, total vendor lock-in across the board, thus
> the finding that microsoft has monopoly power. Monopoly power is
> american? Not in my america.
Monopolies can only ever be tolerated under a state of emergency or in poor
economies, in particular sectors such as telephony and other basic
infrastructures. The other case for exception are
government-backed/assigned/monitored monopolies. Suppression of competition
is an open door to a dark age and manipulation, extortion and the
destruction of a middle class.
> If, when a consumer buys a computer from dell and there are *five*
> options for the OS for any given hardware, *then* you can make
> arguments about capitalism.
>
> When a consumer buys a cell phone, there are a multitude of options.
> When a consumer buys a car there are a similar multitude of options.
> Why not for a computer? Because microsoft exerts monopoly power.
Precisely.
> Furthermore, there does exist *application* software which can be
> purchased for linux. Bill Gates has said "we've always been an
> applications company" and I think that's great. Microsoft developed
> apps for the mac. why not for linux? obviously, microsoft wants to
> maintain vendor lock-in.
Microsoft has conceded and dropped its initiative to port applications to Mac
OS. Apparently, Apple has become too strong a threat. IE5 and Media Player
have not been a continued initiative, to name just two prominent examples.
> If there were effective competition then microsoft would be developing
> apps for different OS's.
>
>
> -Thufir
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