That double standard rankles even some industry insiders. "Totally hypocritical," says T.J. Rodgers, president of chipmaker Cypress Semiconductor Corp.
So much for moral and ethic.
Internal documents show Sun plotted to use its Java software to "attack the franchises" of Lotus, Novell and Oracle—even as it wooed them to support it.
So much for friends and partners.
Similarly, Netscape trashed Microsoft for giving away browser software—yet Netscape did the same thing, crushing a dozen or more tiny rivals. Netscape also bundled free groupware and E-mail products into its Navigator browser.
So what? Can you call Klein and have breakfast with him to ask him suing us?
Apple Computer Inc. charged that Microsoft made changes in Windows that hurt Apple's QuickTime video software. Yet Apple created QuickTime to crush a rival product, MacroMedia, Inc.'s Director, says Director's creator, Marc Canter.
"Apple's whole story to customers was, 'You can get QuickTime for free, so why buy Director?' " Canter says.
Who cares that tiny MacroMedia.
When Oracle is at risk of losing a big contract, some critics say it retaliates by offering some software free of charge or slashing prices so sharply that competitors can't turn a profit. "It cuts off their oxygen," says Michael Stonebraker, chief technology officer at rival Informix Inc.
Oh not, I thought it was "cut off air supply" original from Larry Ellison.
IBM, no stranger to antitrust prosecution, testified against Microsoft—yet it offers freebies, too. Losing customers of its old E-mail program to Microsoft, IBM has a new offer that will let cc:Mail users upgrade to IBM's Lotus Notes, gratis. Previously they had to pay. IBM also leverages its presence in PCs to push software, bundling a free set of Lotus SmartSuite applications to preempt Microsoft wares.
When that doesn't work, IBM has a weapon Microsoft lacks: free hardware.
Let's bundle a mainframe free with Lotus Smart Suite for Linux.
Bring in da NOISE—for Netscape, Oracle, IBM, Sun and Everyone else. This alliance aims to topple Microsoft. "The entire industry must behave like a single focused competitor," IBM urged in a memo last summer.
Who is the leader? Who will get leg and who gives the first punch? Poor Netscape. |
