Mailinglist Archive: opensuse (3784 mails)
| < Previous | Next > |
Microsoft and the Stamp Act
- From: "Steven T. Hatton" <hattons@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx>
- Date: Tue, 2 Oct 2001 21:36:33 -0400
- Message-id: <200110030136.UAA21975353@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx>
I have recently hit an extremely frustrating realization regarding
Microsoft's continuing monopoly of the desktop computing environment. In
order for me to distribute my resume on line, I am, for all intents and
purposes required to poses a Microsoft OS. This is due to the fact that I
must ensure that my code runs and renders properly under IE, or MS Word.
In addition, I am required to have a Microsoft OS in order to do any kind of
serious Web development. It has now been over a year since they were found
in violation of antitrust statutes, and yet they continue to consolidate
their tyrany over the computing industry without any adverse consequence,
injunction, or punishment for their crimes. It seems very few people
appreciate the significance of what is going on. I am completely beside
myself in outrage. There is no point in insisting this should be illegal.
That has already been determined. It is illegal, nonetheless, it continues
unchecked. The longer they are able to forstall the consequences of the
judgment against them, the greater the advantage they have due to their
crimes. I truly fear that they will be able to drag this out to the point
where they have completely destroyed all alternatives.
This situation has a similarity to one of the most important incidents
leading to the American Revolution. That incident is the Stamp Act imposed
on the American colonies by the King of England. The stamp act required that
paper used for most forms of comerse, communication, and official business
bear a stamp indicating a tax had been paid to the Crown. Today's medium of
communication is more and more becoming the desktop operating system, and
particularly the internet browser. In 1997 Netscape declared their
intention to build a cross platform browser which would provide a uniform
interface for all operating systems. Microsoft, realizing the threat to
their existing monopoly, dumped IE on the market with the stated intent of
running Netscape out of business, and in particular, to prevent Netscape from
succeeding in their effort at establishing true platform independence.
In order for me to do business, we are required to pay Microsoft for the
means of communication. The government established to protect us against
such crimes has, thus far, not been able to effectively defend our interests.
To me the requirement that I pay Microsoft in order to conduct business is a
tax forced upon me without representation through elected delegates.
--
Open Source Software depends on your support.
If you use it, be sure to give something back.
http://www.suse.com | http://www.kde.org
http://www.mozilla.org | http://www.xemacs.org
Microsoft's continuing monopoly of the desktop computing environment. In
order for me to distribute my resume on line, I am, for all intents and
purposes required to poses a Microsoft OS. This is due to the fact that I
must ensure that my code runs and renders properly under IE, or MS Word.
In addition, I am required to have a Microsoft OS in order to do any kind of
serious Web development. It has now been over a year since they were found
in violation of antitrust statutes, and yet they continue to consolidate
their tyrany over the computing industry without any adverse consequence,
injunction, or punishment for their crimes. It seems very few people
appreciate the significance of what is going on. I am completely beside
myself in outrage. There is no point in insisting this should be illegal.
That has already been determined. It is illegal, nonetheless, it continues
unchecked. The longer they are able to forstall the consequences of the
judgment against them, the greater the advantage they have due to their
crimes. I truly fear that they will be able to drag this out to the point
where they have completely destroyed all alternatives.
This situation has a similarity to one of the most important incidents
leading to the American Revolution. That incident is the Stamp Act imposed
on the American colonies by the King of England. The stamp act required that
paper used for most forms of comerse, communication, and official business
bear a stamp indicating a tax had been paid to the Crown. Today's medium of
communication is more and more becoming the desktop operating system, and
particularly the internet browser. In 1997 Netscape declared their
intention to build a cross platform browser which would provide a uniform
interface for all operating systems. Microsoft, realizing the threat to
their existing monopoly, dumped IE on the market with the stated intent of
running Netscape out of business, and in particular, to prevent Netscape from
succeeding in their effort at establishing true platform independence.
In order for me to do business, we are required to pay Microsoft for the
means of communication. The government established to protect us against
such crimes has, thus far, not been able to effectively defend our interests.
To me the requirement that I pay Microsoft in order to conduct business is a
tax forced upon me without representation through elected delegates.
--
Open Source Software depends on your support.
If you use it, be sure to give something back.
http://www.suse.com | http://www.kde.org
http://www.mozilla.org | http://www.xemacs.org
| < Previous | Next > |