CD> Yep.  The consumer would be in much better shape if MS would quit
CD>  releasing lower priced software just as the consumer would be better
CD>  off without WalMart, supermarkets, low commission stock brokers,....
The issue with Microsoft is not their lower prices.  Although some
competitors would do well to realize that.  The issue with Microsoft is
that they use extremely dishonest business practices coupled with a very
slick legal department and an almost unlimited cash flow to dump very
low quality software onto the public.  For example, Windows was almost
ludicrous. It was so far behind technology at the time it was
introduced.  Yet M$ has managed to get most PC Vendors to sell Windows
and only Windows on their PCs.  If one wants to purchase a PC to run
anything other than windows, for the most part, one must pay for windows
and delete it and then install their OS of choice.  I have seen M$ try
to market their software to hospitals where they knew it would literally
kill people, and attempt to cover their tracks by hiring the competent
people away from them.  In fact the latter is a well known M$ tactic. 
When M$ wants to court a large company, they will evaluate that
companies' personnel and attempt to hire the smartest people away before
they can let it be known how inferior the M$ products are.  I read an
interesting article, although I  cannot remember where, that said that
the PC world is turning conventional marketing theory on its' ear.  M$
represents everything that a free market economy is supposed to avoid. 
M$ has been able to control the market by dumping inferior goods and
maintaining a stranglehold monopoly. Previously this has only been seen
in state run economies
Sincerely,
Peter
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 þ KWQ/2 1.2i þ If you call me insane again, I'll eat your other eye.
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