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Technology Stocks : How high will Microsoft fly? -- Ignore unavailable to you. Want to Upgrade?

To: John Carpenter who wrote (32677)	11/7/1999 5:07:00 PM
From: NetFlyer	Read Replies (2) \| Respond to of 74651

Just because Microsoft has not harmed you does not mean that they havent harmed anyone. Of course, every individual is entitled to his/her opinion. Some will be very happy with Microsoft, but others are not. The only issue here is did Microsoft abuse a monopoly position in a market. The FOF seems pretty clear on that issue.

To: John Carpenter who wrote (32677)	11/7/1999 6:02:00 PM
From: SC	Respond to of 74651

I agree. Up until last month I was running Windows 3.1 on one of my office computers because it did everything I wanted it to do. I still run Wordperfect 6.1 on the same computer because it does everything I want it to do. There are numerous legacy programs that I still use. Due to the brilliant strategy of microsoft and intel I am able to run programs purchased many years ago. What strategy is this? Backward compatibility. Backward compatibility is the sole reason that x86 is the platform of choice for 90% of the market. Backward compatibility is the only reason microsoft and intel are in the position that they are in today. Try running an apple or macintosh program from 3-5 years ago on apples latest platform. This strategy allows me to upgrade only those components that I feel compelled to upgrade. My office computer was a 486 running Windows 3.1 until about a month ago. Due to upgrades on some of my other computers I was able to upgrade my office computer to a Cyrix 166+ processor on an intel triton vx motherboard with 64MB of memory and a 2 GB hard drive for essentially nothing. Of course I did buy an $89 upgrade version of Win98se. Obviously not state of the art but it does what I want it to do and I did not have to buy new versions of every program that I need to run. Perhaps linux and maybe even the myriad versions of unix can claim similar advantages. Of course, only a limited number of office applications and games are available for these other platforms. With DOS and subsequently all the various versions of Windows I can go to Wal-Mart, K-Mart, or any other retailer or on-line source and buy a program that will continue to work, year after year, upgrade after upgrade. As I am forced to upgrade by new required software that specifies more advanced hardware and operating system requirements I am secure in the knowledge that I can continue to run the legacy programs that are important to me or that I like. It is due to this backward compatibility that wintel has beaten the stew out of apple, sun, and any other competitor you want to name. Sun claims that java is the answer, but so far it seems that write once run on anything is simply vaporware. The backward compatibility and open hardware licensing are the real reasons for the wintel dominance on the desktop. Steve