Nokia Has a Billion Reasons To Love WP7

theodp writes "A report from Bloomberg notes it ain't easy, or cheap, to outbid Google. Microsoft has reportedly agreed to pay Nokia more than $1 billion to 'promote and develop' Windows Phone devices under the agreement between the companies. Bloomberg says the agreement for the payment was 'part of a campaign by Microsoft to keep Nokia from choosing Google's Android operating system.'"

Comments

Good. That is 1 billion less available for ...

[140Mandak262Jamuna]

That is 1 billion less available to Microsoft to distort the open documents marketplace to keep its fraying monopoly intact. 1 billion less for shills like Gartner to produce TCO studies. 1 billion less available to cats paw companies like SCO to create distracting law suits.

But still we are not seeing competition with level playing fields. Corporate desk tops and office applications are still dominated by Microsoft. Media entertainment market is still dominated by Apple, another closed proprietary system. For smartphones and tablets there is some small battle going on between Android and iOS. Search engine is still dominated by Google.

Instead of open battle between the companies fighting in the open duking it out in close range combat, each giant has built a fortress and are fighting each other with long range artillery. For the consumers to benefit we need level playing fields and major players in each arena.

Last century was not a battle between Capitalism and Communism. It was between Competitionism (to coin a term) and Controlled economies. By misattributing the fall of Berlin wall to Capitalism instead of Competitionism, we are working to preserve existing winners in each sector of economy. Consolidating the power in the hands of Microsofts, Goldman-Sachs, BofA, Wallmarts, HomeDepots etc instead of creating multiple players who can actually fight each other for the privilege of serving us. There is no special interest lobbying group for the winners of tomorrow, for those who could create millions jobs in the coming decade. Our political system rewards people who benefit by the status quo.

OK, here is the obligatory, Get off my lawn.