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Technology Stocks : Apple Inc. -- Ignore unavailable to you. Want to Upgrade?

To: Jeff Hayden who wrote (108918)	2/10/2011 10:26:39 PM
From: i-node	2 Recommendations Read Replies (1) \| Respond to of 213185

Microsoft's infrastructure is essentially their .NET setup with Windows. It's Exchange, SharePoint, MSSQL, etc. that companies build their company around. These are highly proprietary systems support components. Why on EARTH would they accommodate a competitor? There is no requirement that ANYONE use .NET in their applications (I have a half dozen systems I've developed that do not use .net, including one written with early 90s era (read: MS-DOS) that runs perfectly and processes 100,000s of transactions monthly. And a number written that wouldn't know whether .net exists or not. The point being these are components that are part of Microsoft's proprietary systems, and nobody is required to use them. If they do want to use them, fine -- but they are responsible for their own interfaces to this software. But Microsoft's closed system has led to a lot of old software that is not likely to be modified to work with Macs but is still part of the each company's infrastructure. With all respect, I think you're totally confused. Microsoft cannot be expected to get OSX to run on Windows boxes or any other equipment. But they have worked to allow and to assist their customers in getting Macs onto corporate networks and to at least use or interface to Microsoft's most recent software. MSFT has been instrumental in the development of standards that work for EVERYONE because they're building the servers people are using. Mac users, Linux, whatever -- need to be able to talk to Windows networks. But these are standards. If Apple wants to communicate, they need only to implement the standards, which they have done. Microsoft in no way can be considered a "closed" platform. I can run MSSQL (which I do). Or I can run MYSQL (which I do). Or Sybase (which I do). Or smaller systems like Elevate's DBISAM. And I don't have to have MSFT's permission to do it. If Apple wants their workstations to talk to MSFT servers, MSFT tells them how to do it and it is incumbent on Apple to make that happen. I am not aware of any case in which MSFT has been uncooperative in this respect, at least not in recent memory. MSFT is guilty of not innovating and of stealing other peoples technology. But they cannot legitimately be accused of running "closed" systems. Certainly not in the context of Apple's iOS. Geez.