From: Billy Brown (bbrown@transcient.com)
Date: Mon Apr 10 2000 - 20:29:43 MDT
Zero Powers wrote:
> I can actually feel both sides of this issue, but if it were up to me, I
> would have waited until MS actually abused their power in a big way before
I
> pulled the rug out. I know Netscape would argue that they *did* abuse
their
> power. But I don't buy that. They were just way competitive and like
> everybody else in the world they used their strengths for their own
benefit.
> I would have waited until they did something really dastardly, like
> getting us all hooked on IE as freeware and then charging for it. Or
> crushing all contenders in the OS field and then gouging the consumer with
> exhorbitant prices or a pay-per-use or software rental scheme
> (like I hear they're working on).
I agree.
Of course, I also think you wouldn't need government intervention to change
things at that point - if MS tried to act like a monopolist (i.e. gouge
customers, stop releasing product upgrades, etc), there would be an
immediate stampede towards whatever alternative looked most viable at the
time.
Billy Brown
bbrown@transcient.com
http://www.transcient.com
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