Comments on: Rebuttal to: “Eight Years Later, Is Microsoft Still a Monopoly?“ (PCWorld) http://techrights.org/2007/11/11/microsoft-still-a-monopoly/ Free Software Sentry – watching and reporting maneuvers of those threatened by software freedom Tue, 03 Jan 2017 04:31:18 +0000 hourly 1 http://wordpress.org/?v=3.9.14 By: Roy Schestowitz http://techrights.org/2007/11/11/microsoft-still-a-monopoly/comment-page-1/#comment-2736 Mon, 12 Nov 2007 01:39:03 +0000 http://boycottnovell.com/2007/11/11/microsoft-still-a-monopoly/#comment-2736 See this discussion about HD from last week. Stephane Rodriguez says it’s not harmful although I still have my doubt.

]]> By: Jim Powers http://techrights.org/2007/11/11/microsoft-still-a-monopoly/comment-page-1/#comment-2710 Sun, 11 Nov 2007 16:36:50 +0000 http://boycottnovell.com/2007/11/11/microsoft-still-a-monopoly/#comment-2710 On another note: Have you guys seen this:

http://www.news.com/8301-13580_3-9810024-39.html

Based on the whole Office-Lockin XML format fiasco I cannot help but feel that this is another “bad thing” in the works. I’m all for new image standards, but not patent-encumbered ones. My guess is that there is a whole minefield of them here.

]]> By: Jim Powers http://techrights.org/2007/11/11/microsoft-still-a-monopoly/comment-page-1/#comment-2709 Sun, 11 Nov 2007 16:31:58 +0000 http://boycottnovell.com/2007/11/11/microsoft-still-a-monopoly/#comment-2709 It is true that MS is still an abusive monopoly, no doubts there. Because of many voices around the world, you folks included, more and more are willing to stand up to this bullying and are becoming aware that freedom translates to economic opportunity much more than the alternative.

Economically, eliminating MS does not maintain economic status quo: some will lose their jobs, companies will fail, that’s life. The needs that these companies satisfy will be filled by those who can, and we encourage those seeking software for their needs to choose FLOSS as it not only benefits them and others, as well as adding to the overall shared bank of human knowledge, but is a really cheap insurance policy against lock-in and single-vendor-related risks.

Microsoft will eventually fall (or, more likely be transformed into a TRUE FLOSS company, I simply cannot believe that with the brain-trust that MS employs that they would choose business suicide over adapting to market demands), but the question is how much damage they will do during their fall: this fall/transformation is still probably a decade away. Alas, the vast brainwashed herds of the public awaken slowly, and FUD works.

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