GUI

[James Knott]

William Park wrote:
> On Fri, Nov 28, 2003 at 11:21:01PM -0500, James Knott wrote:
> 
>>Ever hear of restraint of trade?
> 
> 
> [...communist diarrhoea deleted...]
> 
> 
>>It got to the point where computer vendors had to play by MS terms or 
>>not at all.  The result was that any company that tried to offer an 
>>alternative was punished in a manner that could put them out of business.
> 
> 
> As opposed to toeing IBM's line?  You (intentionly or unintentionally)
> forget that "the bad guy" back then was not Microsoft; rather, it was
> IBM and Mac, both of which tried their best to squeeze every penny from
> the users.  It was Microsoft who gave out Windows for "free".
> 
> Windows/DOS is owned by Microsoft, and it can do whatever it wants with
> it.  This includes
>     - putting bugs, incompatibilies, features, and additions.
>     - setting price of software, support, etc.
>     - ...
> As sole legal owner of Windows/DOS, Bill Gates does not require your
> approval or blessing in the running of his commerce.  It's his right to
> make money, and it's his right to lose money.  Microsoft has no duty or
> obligation to you or to make your life easier.  Maybe you should've
> attended the last NewbieTLUG presentation.
> 

When a company has such control of the market, as MS does, and puts 
barriers up that make it virtually impossible for a competitor to enter, 
that's called restraint of trade.  IBM, on the other hand, not only 
allowed MS to sell DOS to others, it also published the BIOS, which 
allowed others, such as Compaq to build competing systems.  And with the 
main frame systems, where IBM tried to remain proprietary, while 
certainly the dominant company, they were by no means the only one 
making main frames.  You could go to Univac or GE or ...  Further, even 
back in the 60's there was a line of IBM "clones".  These were mil spec 
systems built by Collins (now part of Rockwell).  While the hardware was 
completely different, they were software compatible with the IBM 360.  I 
used to support them, when they were used as part of the Air Canada 
reservation system.



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