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