on web standards: sent to Markoff

[blancw at accessone.com]

Attila:

I'm surprised at you. I thought you were anarcho-capitalist. Oh, well; I have a 
few pithy comments in reply to your post (but anything beyond this will be in 
private email).

I'm tempted to say back to you, as you just recently stated: "if you have not 
walked in the other's shoes, keep silent."  Have you read any of the books on 
Microsoft or Bill Gates?  I think this would provide you with additional 
perspective on your conclusions about him and the company.

But think about this:

.  no company which MS has done business with has been coerced into dealing 
with the company and its products.  Those who felt compelled to do business on 
Billg's terms were influenced by their desire to reap the lucrative benefits of 
it. 
  
.  no customer has been coerced into purchasing the products offered;  they 
were not prevented from shopping for computers from companies which do not 
pre-install the OS; if it was already installed on the machines they purchased, 
they were free to delete it, they were not coerced into using it or into 
upgrading to the next release.

.  not only have many software companies not take advantage of the 
opportunities created for cashing in on the unexpected popularity of MS 
software, 
.  there have been occasions where competitors failed to see opportunities in 
the market which Microsoft did and took aim for, or
.  attempted business deals/associations among competitor software companies 
did not come about, thus failing to create a concerted competitive threat to 
Microsoft, or 
.  a dominant software product from a competitor suffered in the market place, 
(sometimes from the fault of "bad management"), thus again giving the advantage 
to Microsoft.

Often it has been what the competition *didn't do*, which gave Microsoft the 
advantage in the "market place", rather than any amazing magical business savvy 
or "unethical business practices".  

Nevertheless, as someone at MS said, "it isn't the customers who are 
complaining". There have been many willing participants, apparently, who have 
cooperated (or "conspired", if you will) in making the company the success 
which it has become.  And continue to do so.

  ..
Blanc

p.s.  Nuri-logical:  I like your idea for a "dog-eat-dog" welfare fund.