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Geek Culture / $5 million fine a day for Microsoft?

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the_winch
21
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Joined: 1st Feb 2003
Location: Oxford, UK
Posted: 4th Jun 2005 07:38 Edited at: 4th Jun 2005 07:43
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Quote: "Should Microsoft really be punished because we want to use their software instead of cheaper software that can do the same thing just maybe a little harder or not as standard (but would be standard if people used it). Windows is standard because we users buy and use it. If we all really got tired of microsoft, stopped using it, and started using the alternatives then the alternative would be standard. They just have a better mouse trap."


They are being punished because the EU think Microsoft have a monopoly and are using it to get an advantage in the content delivery market. Having their player installed on practically every desktop pc sold is a massive advantage over their competitors.
If everyone is competing on a level playing field then there is competition which benefits the consumer.

Quote: "Exactly what are these things that Windows can do that Lindows (or other equivalent functionality software) can't do?"


Use the windows media technologies that all this is about would be one thing. Unless you live somewhere without software patents.

dbhelp - online dbpro help files with user comments
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Lost in Thought
20
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Joined: 4th Feb 2004
Location: U.S.A. : Douglas, Georgia
Posted: 4th Jun 2005 09:45
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Exactly. They think they have a monopoly. To me as long as there are equivalent alternatives to the software there can't be a monopoly. And even though there are certain media technologies protected by microsoft there are other equivalent technologies that can be used for other OS's. Microsoft should be able to bundle all the free software they make with Windows. It is their product, they made it, and should be able to make it however they want. Thats why people buy it. When you start restricting what OS's can bundle soon you will just have DOS again.

For example what if:
"Oh someone has made a free gui for windows OS now thaey have to seperate windows from the windows OS so we can have a level field."

I say bundle all you can with the OS so I don't have to go hunting for the software myself. Those companies complaining should be making software for non-windows OS if they don't like the way it is made. If enough companies did that there would be a level field.

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Teh Go0rfmeister
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Joined: 17th Aug 2003
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Posted: 4th Jun 2005 22:30
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Quote: "Under EU rules Europe could fine Microsoft up to 5% of its daily global turnover for each day that a decision is not applied to its liking, hence the $5m-a-day figure."


wow i wonder if that beats 3rd world debt... naaaaaaahh
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GothOtaku
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Joined: 23rd Nov 2003
Location: Amherst, MA, USA
Posted: 5th Jun 2005 00:24
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Quote: "So if a friend came to you and asked you to source them a PC, you'd provide them with a PC installed with Lindows?, or FreeBSD?"

Quite possibly. My girlfriend was having problems with her computer so I backed it up on a USB HD and installed FreeBSD along with GIMP, OpenOffice, mplayer, and the necessary drivers (she had a GeForce graphics card which nVidia supports for FreeBSD, Solaris, and Linux). I then restored her data and she's been using that since with no problems.
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MicroMan
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Joined: 19th Aug 2003
Location: Stockholm, Sweden
Posted: 5th Jun 2005 01:03
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Quote: "They think they have a monopoly. To me as long as there are equivalent alternatives to the software there can't be a monopoly. And even though there are certain media technologies protected by microsoft there are other equivalent technologies that can be used for other OS's."


You have to consider market inertia as well. Ninetyfive percent of all PCs are sold with Windows in the home market. Ninetyfive percent of those PCs will never see Linux on the HD because most people just want a computer to write letters, play games on, or surf the web with. These users have a limited requirement list for their machines. Windows does perform the things on that list, so why should a common PC user change it if he/she doesn't have to?

It doesn't matter that there's alternatives. Those alternatives are in reality, or are perceived to be, for dedicated computer users. As long as things are like that, Windows is in an overwhelmingly dominating position. They have a near-monopoly on the PC market.

This also means that Microsoft has a huge advantage when a user wants to update old OS:es. Instead of looking for alternative OS:es when an OS gets outdated they go with new versions of Windows. Ie Microsofts size and domination makes it the only real alternative for most users.

A situation like that isn't good for anyone. Not the market, not the users, not Microsoft. Sure, Microsoft makes a lot of money, but any monopoly or near monopoly starts to feed on itself in the end. So, go EU.

-----
They SAID that given enough time a million monkeys with typewriters could recreate the collected works of William Shakespeare... Internet sure proved them wrong.
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Lost in Thought
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Location: U.S.A. : Douglas, Georgia
Posted: 5th Jun 2005 01:25
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All I know is that if I stopped liking microsoft today; I could be up and running again, with a different OS and software to do the same things I can do now, in a couple of days. And I would have alot less money in the software and OS. Sure I would have to start completely over with my programming, but thats because I chose to use DBP (a purely windows programming language).

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qwe
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Posted: 5th Jun 2005 05:04 Edited at: 5th Jun 2005 05:04
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what's mac programming like? or linux?
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MicroMan
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Posted: 5th Jun 2005 05:54
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Quote: "thats because I chose to use DBP (a purely windows programming language)"


You make my point. If Microsoft wasn´t so domineering, TGC would have to make a Linux or BDSD or Mac version of Dark Basic. Now, TGC doesn't have to, because nearly everyone uses Windows.

Is that bad for TGC? They save a lot of money by not having to develop for different platform. So, yes, that's probably good for TGC. But on the other hand, they don't have to adapt Dark Basic for other platforms either, and that's bad for TGC, since it doesn't make the software as robust and portable as it could be. And if it isn't as robust and portable as it could be, they limit their marketshare and they can pass on a product that's not as developed as it could be.

-----
They SAID that given enough time a million monkeys with typewriters could recreate the collected works of William Shakespeare... Internet sure proved them wrong.
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Jeku
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Joined: 4th Jul 2003
Location: Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada
Posted: 5th Jun 2005 06:27
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I highly doubt there's a large amount of people who will pass on a product because it's Windows only. Maybe 1%?


--[R.O.B.O.I. and FireTris Coming Soon]--
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Teh Go0rfmeister
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Posted: 5th Jun 2005 09:43
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lee actually said he'll be happy to let anyoen on the team who'd be willing to make darkbasic mac compatable

im sure anyone would do the same, its not microsoft domineering too much, its mac not domineering enough
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Lost in Thought
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Posted: 5th Jun 2005 15:42
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Quote: "You make my point. If Microsoft wasn´t so domineering, TGC would have to make a Linux or BDSD or Mac version of Dark Basic. Now, TGC doesn't have to, because nearly everyone uses Windows."


So it is a crime now to only make software for an OS people actually want to use? There are other programming languages that can be used on the other OS's. Maybe if someone took the time and made an OS to truely rival Windows, in ease of use as well as overall compatibility, instead of whining about how windows does things, there would be a more level playing field. No Government should be able to punish a company because they make too good a product. If a company with a better product than someone else gains control of a market, where there are other products like it, the government should be making incentives for other software companies to get off their end and try to make something to rival them. It just gets so old people always whining about someone doing well, when they are too lazy to do anything about it. They just want the world in the palm of their hand for nothing. I believe microsoft has worked hard for what it is and if others did too, they could be like microsoft.

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