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Technology Stocks : Microsoft - The Evil empire -- Ignore unavailable to you. Want to Upgrade?

To: Robert Winchell who wrote (468)	12/16/1997 9:19:00 AM
From: TLindt	Read Replies (2) \| Respond to of 1600

I have put my mind to it.....so has DOJ. This is the biggest and highest stakes game for the future of the free internet as we know it. I don't want MSs' version of browse right out of the box, thank you very much....what makes you think I do? The OS is already at monopoly status....you don't give a monopoly more control of anything......PERIOD! It'd be like your electric utility saying every home within our operating territory will have a mandatory installation, at no charge to the consumer, an electric hot water heater, furnace & heatpump. Nobody would ever allow that....would they? Now that doesn't limit choices does it? If the consumer wants to go gas he can just fork out his own money and put it in himself. But in the meantime he's got all this other crap in his basement he didn't ask for. I have to use MS for the OS just like I have to use my electric utility company...they are the only one around....but that's as far as it goes. I'll take it a step further...I don't even think it's fair for MS to be in the browser business. In that utility example...just add to this...oh by-the-way.....all electrical water heaters, furnaces & heatpumps will be built by us. How do you think the other manufacturers would feel about that one. Oh great, we just lost business in 5 States! As far as I'm concerned the OS stops at the PC level....PERIOD! If you can't see it you are way off the mark...where does that browser point on startup? MS. And don't tell me you can change it...because most people won't....or don't know how. So what do most people end up with.....MSs version of everything....content, sites, services...ect. It's not a Browser War, it's a 'eyeball' war. As who controls the on-ramps to the internet...if MS has their way you'll come onto the information super-highway thru their door. That's cow pie....but then again that's how 'rocker-feller' saw it too. And if that's their way of doing business....I say split them up!! Can I get a Second?

To: Robert Winchell who wrote (468)	12/16/1997 12:42:00 PM
From: Kal	Read Replies (1) \| Respond to of 1600

Most PC makers install a browser on shipping PCs. Aha, users can browse out of the box. Zero hastle for users (very good) Many makers (Compaq, others) chose Netscape at one point. But due to MS predatory appatite, they threatened to not renew the OS liscence if makers refused to bundle IE. Etc. You should be familiar with the story. Does it give users more choice? Sometimes I wonder if anyone should answer such question. No it doesn't. If every house came with refrigirator brand X that can't be removed, does this NOT limit the owner's choice? if every house came with AT&T phone that's part of the concrete foundation, does this NOT limit the owner's choice? I'd love to hear how it does not.