Microsoft Must be held accountable.

[Anton Markov]

JoeHill wrote:
> 
> Ok. Sorry, I'll be serious. I'll grant you, it is a fact that anyone can
> form a corp, but *not* anyone has the same advantages in forming that
> corp. I mean, c'mon, do you really think some little startup would stand
> a snowball's chance in hell against the monsters that dominate the
> business landscape? 

Where did all these "monsters that dominate the business landscape" come 
from in the first place?  Did they just pop out of nowhere?  Do you know 
the history of McDonalds?  Microsoft?  GM?  All where "little startups" 
once upon a time.


> What is the failure rate for new small businesses,
> like 90%? 

That means that 10% go on to make their owners financially free! 
Compare that to the 0% of people who work for someone else and go around 
complaining about how unfair life is.

> It is not an even playing field out there, and won't be until
> some of the power of large corporate entities is deconstructed, not
> by increasing government regulation, mind you, but by *decreasing*
> government protection of large corporate interests, for example where it
> applies to Intellectual Property law.   

That protection is in place to keep jealous, whining people like you 
(and the rest of the 'democracy'; i.e. 'mob rule') at bay, so the 
achievers can get some work done.

What exactly do you mean by "decreasing government protection"?  Let the 
people tell businesses how to run themselves?  How can someone who 
doesn't already own a successful business possibly know how run one?


>>>MS has it down cold ;-)
>>
>>You still haven't told me what would happen if Microsoft disappeared
>>in the next year (or at least a lawsuit ordered that no more than 50%
>>of all new computers must use Windows).  Isn't this your dream?
>
> Hell ya! I'd have the greatest job in the world, running around like a
> madman installing Linux on all those suddenly Windows-less machines, the
> internet would function more smoothly, there would be rejoicing in the
> streets, and Slashdot would disappear in a puff of irrelevancy. ;-)

I see a much more sad picture.  First of all, many computers already 
running Windose will be left without any security update, timely or not. 
Second, people who still want to use windows will start using more and 
more pirated copies of Windows; god knows what security holes those will 
have.  As for those who switch to Linux, their computers will be no more 
secure than before, because as many discussions on this list have 
pointed out, security is a process, not a product; it is the 
responsibility of the end user.  There will never be enough time to 
educate everyone if you are "running around like a madman installing 
Linux".  We would be no better of then we are now, except that your 
personal dreams of "running around like a madman installing Linux" will 
be satisfied.

I will say this again and for the last time:

"Education is the key to solving this and other problems in our society. 
  Not protests, not lawsuits, not getting the government to create or 
destroy regulations, but EDUCATION."

I think we should end this discussion as it is loosing its academic 
value (if it ever had any).


-- 
Anton Markov <("anton" + "@" + "truxtar" + "." + "com")>

GnuPGP Key fingerprint =
5546 A6E2 1FFB 9BB8 15C3  CE34 46B7 8D93 3AD1 44B4

  "The difference between insanity and genius is measured only by success."
  - Some bad guy from 007
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