I dislike M$ just as much as the next guy, and a breakup remedy does seem attractive, but I don't think breaking up a software company is the proper way to do things. What's wrong with a company producing an OS AND layered software? It's been going on for years on other platforms and I don't really have a problem with it. The real way to deal with this is to force M$ to open all file formats, APIs and network protocols - full disclosure. I know the Washington Post article described opening the API, which is nice, but what about the rest? Anyone have any more info? Having the "Apps" company make a port of Office to Linux is not attractive to me. It will not increase competition for Office apps - the monopoly will now be cross-platform, that's all. I don't want to use Office - but I do want to read.doc files. Likewise, I don't like NT as a server. I use Samba as much as a I can, but it can't and won't ever be a full implementation of an NT server. Will the "OS" company make a "NT Services for Linux"? No, thanks. I already looked at Pathworks (or whatever they call it now) for the Alpha and it sucks. Without opening all the formats and network protocols, we're going to end up with more monopolies.
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I dislike M$ just as much as the next guy, and a breakup remedy does seem attractive, but I don't think breaking up a software company is the proper way to do things. What's wrong with a company producing an OS AND layered software? It's been going on for years on other platforms and I don't really have a problem with it. The real way to deal with this is to force M$ to open all file formats, APIs and network protocols - full disclosure. I know the Washington Post article described opening the API, which is nice, but what about the rest? Anyone have any more info? Having the "Apps" company make a port of Office to Linux is not attractive to me. It will not increase competition for Office apps - the monopoly will now be cross-platform, that's all. I don't want to use Office - but I do want to read .doc files. Likewise, I don't like NT as a server. I use Samba as much as a I can, but it can't and won't ever be a full implementation of an NT server. Will the "OS" company make a "NT Services for Linux"? No, thanks. I already looked at Pathworks (or whatever they call it now) for the Alpha and it sucks. Without opening all the formats and network protocols, we're going to end up with more monopolies.