From: Laws, David (lawsd@magic.dcrt.nih.gov)
Date: Sat Jul 12 1997 - 13:40:40 MDT
Thank you. Even though your post (and perhaps my response) may trigger a
holy war, an excellent common sense explanation of why anti-Microsoft
bigots seem to not understand.
To expound:
Larry Ellison and Marc Andreeson are not the savior's of the 'computing for
the little folk' as some fanatics would preach. Ellison wants to control
by forcing you to use what HE decides you can use. If all the software is
located on a central server then you only have available what the
administrators want you to use. Andreeson is just a kid (much akin to
Gates) who saw an opportunity to take advantage of a new technology. I'm
sure most of you already know, but neither Andreeson nor any of his staff
'invented' the 'browser' nor had anything to do with the development of the
hypertext transport protocol. Remember also that the hypertext markup
language is just a subset of the much older Standard Generalized Markup
Language. Netscape is just another Microsoft wannabe.
Remember also that Apple stole the idea for the 'Mac' from Xerox (just as
MS did) and that Microsoft was one of the first software companies to write
for the Apple OS. Oh yes, for those who may have forgotten....Apple DID
steal it's BASIC from Microsoft, and originally ran the character based
AppleDOS.
Ellison runs Oracle. Oracle's biggest clients are mainframe and huge
mini-computer shops. Of course he would want you to give up independence
to go back to centralized computer. That's where he makes his living.
I remember when Win95 *FINALLY* came out (I beta tested it and remember
calling it WinEVER...never mind the fact that some of the great 'new'
things to *MAYBE* be in MemphisOS WERE in the original Win95 but were
pulled (hard to believe the TCP/IP stack for Windows for Workgroups can do
things Win95 still dreams of...or NT has been doing for years)).
Anyway....during this time the MacFanatics were proudly posting flyers
that said 'Windows95.....Mac84'. They thought this was a great slam.
Though that is essentially true the sad fact is that Mac97 is STILL Mac84.
Cooperative multitasking, lame AppleTalk, etc, etc. At least MS saw the
need for a REAL OS and developed NT, and moved into other areas as well.
Apple's problems stem from the fact that the founders saw the Apple as
'everyman's computer'. Then they followed the Dilbert Principle and
promoted and hired the least competent to mangers with the most power,
priced their 'everyman computer' into a range only the elite could afford
and smugly sat back sure that Joe Blow would hock his first born to own one
of their Big Brother killers. They were so unsure of their ability they
refused to even license a third party from making a clone (claims for
quality control don't wash here as a simple clause about having Apple
Certification and Apple not financially responsible for un-certified
machines would suffice).
Sun Microsystems is Microsoft's current competition. They have some great
ideas, fantastic products, and more lethal lawyers than OJ. (Yes, Sun DID
sue a mom and pop shop to have them remove 'Java' from their logo...even
though the logo had been there years before 'Java' was a glint in it's
developer's eyes. Yes, Sun won the case). Unfortunately I see signs of
'Dilbert' at Sun.
Microsoft indeed does NOT always develop the latest greatest advances, but
they sure have supplied those with ability and confidence to do so. Little
Boy Blue comes along and develops something that is usable (operative word
here...not necessarily bleeding edge orgasmic but USABLE) and MS sees a
profit, they indeed try to buy it. LBB has the financial backing to say no
then he can do so and may end up making a good profit. Of course, this
leads MS to say 'OK, but we have programmers and billions in resources...'
so MS just may put LBB out of business.
Microsoft then is an extropic borganism. The main thing is to survive.
The most good for the most people. Let the small civilizations to the
research, if it's usable absorb and refine it. Let them survive so you can
profit from the distribution. Competition is what keeps MS in the
dominating position.
I do disagree with your Microsoft will destroy itself. MS will dominate
until Gates dies (I don't think he will retire). The result will be as the
Empire of Alexander the Great.
-drl
david_laws@nih.gov
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