Hi Phil,
I am still following this thread with interest...
I must say I always enjoy such threads, they bring up interesting discussion! They also bring interesting differences between Linux and Windows (like the author of this thread originally meant to do).
Hmm... If I ask to charge a high price, and there are other suppliers/sources then there is a "fair" market. The user can choose between different sources of software/service. If my service/product is that much better then I get paid. If there is only one supplier then that supplier has a MONOPOLY and can do as they please. When Netscape was a competitor for the browser market (at a price) a crew with a MONOPOLY (at the time) tried to inflict any user of a PC, with their browser (apparently for free).
Well, I'll argue to the cows come home that that was fair. MSIE wasn't the only free browser, in fact Netscape was free for a time, IIRC. But, MS wasn't just targeting Netscape, but also Mosaic, Lynx, and other "free" browsers. Personally, I think this is a stupid debate. I don't feel like shelling out $39 bucks every year to get the latest Netscape, and MSIE was a good thing in that effect. Granted, they bundled it, and killed Netscape, but Netscape didn't even try to keep up. Their browser, IMO wasn't/isn't as good after the 3.x releases and they kept a high price until the bitter end (only changing when they had no choice).
What should have been a "fair" competition on the market for a product was reduced to a "who can afford to do it for free for the longest" situation.
So Sun Microsystems should be in trouble for selling an office suite and operating system for nothing and $10 respectively, too? How about Corel, should they get in trouble for that neat Photo-Paint give-a-way since it eats at Adobe and Microsoft market share?
You speak of a cheap "upgrade" for DOS 6.XX. Correct me if I am mistaken but was there not an "upgrade" to DOS that had it's main claim to "fame" the fact that it did not include stolen software? (Stacker(?) from memory).
I think that was 6.22, yes. However, MS also offered that upgrade offer at CompUSA and other retailers from 6.1 to 6.2. -Tim ----------------------------------------------------------------- Timothy R. Butler Universal Networks Information Tech. Consultant Christian Web Services Since 1996 ICQ #12495932 AIM: Uninettm An Authorized IPSwitch Reseller tbutler@uninetsolutions.com http://www.uninetsolutions.com ===================== "Solutions that Work" =====================
I have worked in IT for several years now and I say again, as a fairly recent Linux user, that the fundamental difference I see between the M$ way and the Linux way is: greed vs sharing. I will continue to be paid for my work, (as long as my clients feel I am doing them a good job) and hope I am never so greedy that I can not do as I have done before and hope to do again: Accept the fantastic software and support from the entire Linux community, and help other people in using it (as I have been and hope to continue to be). -And as a matter of free choice, assist where I can, in the development and acceptance of FREE software as a very viable alternative to the greed and stifling way of proprietory software. I have no problem in paying for changes or alterations or extras to software. Or asking my clients to do so. What I require is value for money and room to grow. Not be tied to a pile of black box proprietory rubbish from start to finish.
(and yes, I have written proprietory software!)
Phil
-----Original Message----- From: Timothy R. Butler [mailto:tbutler@uninetsolutions.com] Sent: Monday, July 10, 2000 2:28 PM To: phil@keenstreet.com.au; SuSE Mailing List Subject: RE: [SLE] Fundamental differences
Not exactly greed, IMO. Tell me Phil, what do you do for a living? Now, consider that somewhere along the line someone is paying you to do what you do. Are you being greedy for wanting to be paid? If you aren't, how does this apply to Microsoft (or Apple, Oracle, Sun, or even SuSE - they offer the proprietary Applixware, among other things)? Greed would be charging $1,000 for Windows 98.
What's more greedy, trying to force the world to standarize on Win98 at $100 per copy? Or charging $1000 per copy in a free market? I think MS is smart enough to realize that $1000 per copy would encourage too much piracy and would create more opportunity for alternate OSes. So, I'd say the first scenario is more crafty and much more greedy.
But MS blew it anyway because the quality can't even match the $100 price. If the quality were there I don't think Linux, *BSD, BEOS, or any other OS would be doing as well as they are.
Greg
Because e-mail can be altered electronically, the integrity of this communication cannot be guaranteed. -- ============================ Phil Stebbins Keenstreet Communications Box 6073 South Lismore N.S.W. 2480 Australia
On Tue, 11 Jul 2000, Thomas, Gregory (NBC, KNBC) wrote: phil@keenstreet.com http://www.keenstreet.com ============================
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