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For Microsoft, Market Dominance Isn't Enough
chemstar writes "Last summer Orlando Ayala, then the top sales executive at Microsoft Corp., sent an e-mail titled 'Microsoft Confidential' to senior managers laying out a strategy to dissuade governments across the globe from choosing cheaper alternatives to the ubiquitous Windows operating system. Ayala's e-mail told executives that if a deal involving governments or large institutions looked doomed, they were authorized to draw from a special internal fund to offer software at a steep discount, or free, if necessary. Steve Ballmer, the Microsoft chief executive, was sent a copy of the e-mail.
The memo, which focused on system software for desktop computers, specifically targeted Linux, a still small but emerging competitor. "Under NO circumstances lose against Linux," Ayala said." Perhaps that's because, as roomisigloomis writes, "Seems that MS' licensing practices are working against the company," pointing out this article which "suggests that open source, Linux and other software is actively being sought."
I hate to make this comparison, but...
Taking control of Europe was not enough for Hittler. He wanted to control the entire world. What we have with MS, is very much the same thing. A trillion dollars is no longer enough to feed all the hungry piranhas, and that's not what it's all about either. It's the recognition and the power that comes with being "an executive at Microsoft"..
Basically, this is no longer just about an operating system. This is about a way of life. MS is deeply entrenched in many other business, and we don't even notice. While we're watching them twirl their left fist at us, their right hand is getting ready to slap us in the face.
I only hope that we're waking up to this fact early enough...
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Death is only a state of mind.
Only it doesn't leave you much time to think about anything else.
You mean just like the US government does to cash-poor, needy, developing nation government ministers?
World domination!