Author: Miguel A. Ballicora
Date: 12:36:42 08/08/01
Go up one level in this thread
On August 08, 2001 at 14:33:45, Scott Gasch wrote:
>On August 08, 2001 at 04:52:12, Ricardo Gibert wrote:
>
>>It makes a difference if they are a monopoly.
>
>Why? First, how can you call MS a monopoly? In my opinion, that's crap. The
>court has ruled they are a monopoly in the "desktop operating system market".
>What the hell is that? There are plenty of other OSes out there and the
>division between "desktop" and "server" is blurred: Linux, FreeBSD, BeOs,
>Solaris, NetBSD, SCO, OSX, etc...
>
>But let's assume you're right. MS is a monopoly. And let's ignore the question
>of why they are a monopoly (which, in my opinion, is because they have built a
>product that people like and buy). There are plenty of other monopolies: the
>post office, the phone/power/water company, the cable company, whatever. There
The post office is a state monopoly which is very different because you
are represented in it, when you vote. That makes a huge difference!. Anyway,
state monopolies are not good either, that's the reason why UPS, Fedex and the
like are encouraged to cover some of areas where they can improve.
The phone companies are not a monopoly anymore, it was long time ago with AT&T
and it was a huge problem until the goverment decide it to divide it. In fact,
that is what they want with microsoft. Locally, the phone, water and cable
companies are small monopolies but they have to renegotite the contracts, so
they are being examined all the time. If they do not fullfill the requirements
the contract could be void. Still, cable companies now they have to compete with
dishes and that it good.
>are also a lot of other large companies that control commanding shares of their
>market. By your logic it is ok to rip these guys off because they are
>successful.
A monopoly is never good, is against the basis of the free market. If a company
reached the status of a monopoly, the government (i.e. us) should take care that
it is not being done with dirty tactics. For instance, in many places you cannot
sell products cheaper than their cost to destroy the competition.
>If you dislike a company or their product, why are you using it? Windows 9x
>crashes every 20 minutes? Here's a clue: use something else. In the case of
^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^
It does not work when you have a monopoly, the rules of the free market do not
work anymore! choice is not a real option!
Try to buy a computer and say that you wanted without the OS and you want the
price of the OS discounted.
>MS, you do have a choice. Several, in fact. Every user who doesn't send their
>$100 to Redmond helps erode the so-called "monopoly". Speak with your
>pocketbook. But don't rob a company whose empire *you helped build* and then
>justify it by saying they are a monopoly.
Robbing is not good, but the whole thread started with a complaint, which
I believe is healtful.
Regards,
Miguel
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