Microsoft Hatred FAQ

[John Bokma]

Roel Schroeven <rschroev_nospam_ml at fastmail.fm> wrote:

> John Bokma wrote:
>> Roel Schroeven <rschroev_nospam_ml at fastmail.fm> wrote:
>> 
>>>John Bokma wrote:
>> 
>>>>web based applications that work with any browser make OS irrelevant
>>>>-> not true, since for OpenOffice it doesn't matter which Linux 
>>>>distribution one runs (or even if it's Linux), yet people seem to
>>>>make a point of which distribution they use.
>>>
>>>You make the point yourself now: if web based applications work with
>>>any browser, people can freely choose their distribution based on
>>>their own preferences.
>> 
>> 
>> Yup, and what will they pick? 
> 
> The one of their choice. Nobody knows which one that will be.

Let me guess: Microsoft.

> Maybe MS.

I am quite sure about that one.

> But that's not the point; the point is that they have the choice. 
> If MS had it its way, they wouldn't have that choice.

I doubt that. But even if you're right, do you really think that MS is 
the only evil company on earth working like this? Do you really think 
that companies like Disney, Sony, Intel, AMD, Apple, etc work any 
different?

>>>- An application works in IE, Firefox, Konqueror, Safari, Lynx,
>>>Links, Opera, ... -> users can use it with any browser on any OS
>> 
>> I think that we both understand that one browser will be more
>> compatible then an other. It will only happen if all use exactly the
>> same render engine, or all web recommendations are frozen.
> 
> Thousands and thousands of website work perfectly in all of the
> aforementioned websites right now.

Maybe you define perfectly different then me, but have a look at the 
Acid tests for example. Even between minor versions of for example 
Firefox, or Opera there are differences in rendering. I won't call that 
perfectly, but maybe because I am a programmer.

>> And if that happens, people selling stuff will find ways to make
>> their version just a little better.
> 
> It's very well possible to compete without breaking compatibility.
> That's what Firefox, Opera, Konqueror etc. are already doing.

Is that why people who design websites use both Firefox and Opera for 
testing? IIRC there are ambiguous parts in the CSS working drafts, and 
Opera thinks their interpretation is correct, which, (again IIRC) 
differs from other developers. Once the render engine is stable (my best 
guess, another 5-7 years), there will be (for quite some time) new 
things, that will worry developers of sites.

>> Look at processors: which one would you buy at the moment? AMD?
>> Intel? and if you pick a brand, which type?
> 
> Depends on my needs, budget and the specs and price of the available
> offers. Plus I always have a small, admittedly perhaps unjustified,
> preference for the underdog; in the past that was AMD, in the future
> that may very well be Intel. But I don't see the point of that
> question.

Others just pick Intel, because it's Intel. The same is happening for 
MS. People just buy MS, they don't care that it's cheaper (or maybe 
"cheaper") to install Linux + OpenOffice (for example). MS, so it's 
good.

>> As soon as products can't evolve much more, the producers will find
>> ways to make them even better compared to last week.
> 
> As products can't evolve much more, the producers will find ways to
> make them evolve?? Sorry, I don't understand what you're trying to say
> here. 

As soon as the customer thinks the product is finished, the producer 
will create new things that should be there. How much more features do 
you want in an Office application? An instant message application? Do 
you need nudges, winks, voice samples? Wait until MSN Messenger 8 comes 
out, and then 9, maybe 10?

>> Or wait until there comes a solution from a 3rd party. Force doesn't 
>> exists with software unless you can manipulate the law to enforce it.
>> And I don't believe that everybody at Microsoft was/is that stupid to
>> think they can make that something they don't controll only works
>> with their software. Sure they can make it harder, like I said, you
>> can always add things, especially if you are the major player, but
>> Firefox is a nice proof that there is no such force, and I doubt that
>> there are people working at Microsoft in major positions who didn't
>> see this coming.
> 
> Maybe they can force it, maybe not, but that's not the point (again).
> The point is what their intentions are, and that is trying to lock
> people into using their software.

Can you name big companies that don't do this?

-- 
John                   Small Perl scripts: http://johnbokma.com/perl/
               Perl programmer available:     http://castleamber.com/
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