Just for kicks lets assume that what is stated above happens, companies would continue to use MS software for one or two years after which all desktops would be replaced with comething else (more likely Linux using the same hardware).
In the meantime the EU would size all of MS assets in the EU and most likely would take legal action against MS and its executives in the US.
Many other countires would finally realize the predatory nature of this company and would follow suit.
Sometime in 2010, after the las billion of cash of MS dissapears in the black hole of litigation, MS is liquidated and nobody barely notices.
I wish they would do something so monumentally stupid, unfrotunately we are dealin with intelligent people here, not with, er, people like you.
In any case, FWIW, even with one year hole in your resume you will be fine. I know because it happened to me. I was out of work for 1.5 years but I kept machine with Linux and Solaris where I kepy my skillz up to scratch. Thus when it was time to come back to IT I got several job offers.
Do not believe all the pesimists here, a hole in your CV does not matter, there is always somebody with a clue that can see beyond such a thing. If you like IT you will find ways to keep informed, and if you are clever you could use those 5k1llz to help during your tour (get a laptop with a good external sound card, and do recordings, learn some computer based music editing and mixing, or create a controller for the live eggects in your show. Maintain a band's website. Organize the band's accounting using MySQL. The possibilites are endless).
Specially in open plan offices. It is bad enough with everybody's normal phone. On top of that one has to tolerate the mostly tasteless ringtones of psudo professionals that can't be bothered to show a bit of respect for their colleagues.
This is a matter of principle. MS is using its monopolic power to yet once again (surprise,surprise) force its own wares to dominate a segement of the IT business.
The did so with the Web browser to the point that the only viable alternative has to be done by voluteers giving the software away for free. They did so with fileystem compression on real time by stealing another company's implementation (Stac Electronics, RIP).
They also got rid of competing products by making them cras in puepose when running in one of their OSes.
They backstabbed IBM when they abandoned OS/2 to promote Windows.
ANd here we are, they are doing it all over again, and the champions of lazines over freedom like you, like the frog choir, are chanting that it is easy, thus it should be good.
No, it is not good. This company is killing the ionnovation in the IT industry and it enerves me to no end that people are prepared to submit themselves to company convicted of unlawful behaviour so willingly.
People like you would at least think twice if a convicted criminal in any other sphere of life would approach them for a business too good to be tru, but when it comes to MS, a convicted abuser of a monopolic position, then all critical thinking dissapears, and the offering too good to be true is accepted blissfully ignorant of the pas and of its future implications (DRM, lock in, forced upgrade, monoculture).
The best family relationships can be broken by a business environment.
I really love my close relatives, I don't want to spoil that blurring the line between family and business.
If you do so just when you thought the working day and stress was over you may find yourself discussing business during dinner or during family gatherings. Do you need that? I don't.
And what is the point? You can join forces with friends or colleagues to which the emotional attachment is far less strong and with whom you can have properly drawn contractcs without anybody feeling guilty.
The level of life in Mexico has raised as a consequence of NAFTA in spite of the carelessnes of the Mexican political leaders to protect sensitive industries that were not ready for competition (cars, farming). Salaries in real terms have raised since the introduction of NAFTA.
Mexico has benefitted so much that has instituted frre trade agreements with the EU and several countries in Latinamerica.
In the EU countries that used to be backwards like Portugal, Spain and Ireland have raised their level of life greatly thanks to free trade.
No wonder all of Europe is rushing to join the EU in spite of the sometimes onerous political burdens, the economic benefits are too obvious to ignore.
Then when prices of the goods and services you use creep up you will of course protest.
The cheap computer you are using, all the modern electronics that permit the optimization that support modern life in western countries, is a direct consequence of companies looking for more bang for their buck.
The US laws are not the most wonderful thing in the universe, it is only the realtive openess of the US markets that makes the US a hub for international commerce.
Make an stupid mistake (like mandating companies incorporated in the US should employ people in the US) and your economic hegemony would be over faster than you can say "catsup with those French fries please".
Just for starters, farming subsidies (in both the US and Europe) are killing any hope of countries whose only chance to improve economically is farming.
The US in the past has not hesitated when a company that has a monopolic position in a given country (bananas is Guatemala or Colmbia for example) required to overthrow a goverment amenable to their interests.
And of course we all know that Irak is about freeihng the Iraki people people. Oil? No way, my dirty cynical mentality of course. Oil has no part on this charade.
Google for "New American Century Cheney" and learn for yourself in place of showing your blantant ignorance in public.
In one side you have gay marriage in San Francisco, in the other you have, er , George Bush.
US climate? Which? The frozen lakes in Minnesota or the desert on the Death Valley?
US culture? Which? English? Irish? Native American? Hispanic? Chinese?
US political system? Which one? Corporation sponsored democracy? Where? California, NY or Texas?
Legal system? From which state?
Your family? How often do most people visit or even talk to theirs?
It is great for people like me, who has worked in 3 different continents and that has visited many countries in 4 continents to see people imposing artificial barriers to their own development.
Leave the world and it opportunities to us that can adjust to different cultures and can give a regular phone call (or plug a webcam) to keep in touch with family and friends wherever they are.
Tey were not rude to me, your sterotyping about personal higiene is patently false, and of course you don't know how it feels that you have to learn a new language to make better use of the Internet.
Oh wait, I am Mexican and I at least try to be polite and speak French. Mon dieu! Ces't la vie je pense.
Oh, and by the way it is "We Americans" not "We American's". No wonder the French get annoyed, they learn English properly and then get Americans with bad spelling:-P
If your product was worth that much investment, there is no chance that a competitor would have a similar thing ready in one week. No way. If they did, that would mean your product was not worth that much investment anyway since it would be relatively evident to implement it.
The problem is that you are assuming that in a word without patents companies would develop products on the same way.
There are many things that would happen: one would be that innovation stalls compltely (unlikely, patents are a recent "innovation" and humanity innovated fine without them), in which case, we can always put them back in place.
Or companies would shift the risk of D&R to institutions with no interest in directly profit from discoveries or innovative implementations, like Universities or non profits financed by goverments and interested individuals and companies. Once they would find the cure for big feet, any interested company could commercialize the solution (lets say big shoes) and compete based on quality of service and costumer satisfaction. No wonder most companies find this freaking scary.
I have never dressed to conform. I have never used a suit or necktie. Not even for job interviews. This may be pointless but I have worked for and with Fortune whatever companies.
My grooming routine? Shower daily, dress clean clothes. Period.
I have still to be denied a job, I have a great life. Uhm. And I cut my heair every six or sevem months.
So frankly I don't see your point. It is so ful of stereotypes and generalizations that at the end has nothing worthwile to say about the topic at hand.
Slashdot Mirror
Rarely one sees such brain dead sproutage.
Just for kicks lets assume that what is stated above happens, companies would continue to use MS software for one or two years after which all desktops would be replaced with comething else (more likely Linux using the same hardware).
In the meantime the EU would size all of MS assets in the EU and most likely would take legal action against MS and its executives in the US.
Many other countires would finally realize the predatory nature of this company and would follow suit.
Sometime in 2010, after the las billion of cash of MS dissapears in the black hole of litigation, MS is liquidated and nobody barely notices.
I wish they would do something so monumentally stupid, unfrotunately we are dealin with intelligent people here, not with, er, people like you.
I thought you lot were buried with all the failed ideologues of the XXth century.
/. !
What a rare archeological finding. All here in
Because, dear dumber, MS is a monopoly, the car companies you mentioned are not.
Tonto.
No wonder that politicians can get away with murder.
With such levels of misunderstanding of the political system it appears like a miracle that we have any rights and freedoms still to defend at all....
There is a long history in the EU of striking down acquisitions and meregers of EU companies based on lack of competition fears.
I would sya go for it.
In any case, FWIW, even with one year hole in your resume you will be fine. I know because it happened to me. I was out of work for 1.5 years but I kept machine with Linux and Solaris where I kepy my skillz up to scratch. Thus when it was time to come back to IT I got several job offers.
Do not believe all the pesimists here, a hole in your CV does not matter, there is always somebody with a clue that can see beyond such a thing. If you like IT you will find ways to keep informed, and if you are clever you could use those 5k1llz to help during your tour (get a laptop with a good external sound card, and do recordings, learn some computer based music editing and mixing, or create a controller for the live eggects in your show. Maintain a band's website. Organize the band's accounting using MySQL. The possibilites are endless).
Surely there is not a bloddy shop 20 meters away with a normal phone line.
Noooooo!
We need a mobile phone, that did not exist a few years ago.
Specially in open plan offices. It is bad enough with everybody's normal phone. On top of that one has to tolerate the mostly tasteless ringtones of psudo professionals that can't be bothered to show a bit of respect for their colleagues.
Follow or not follow a policy?
You don't want to make it easy, do you?
Sickness and disease can start propagating with only one individual infected.
There are so many cases of recent health scares that I will not even bother mentioning them.
If you the wrong virus/bacteria in the wrong place at the wrong time you can wreck havoc of planetary proportions.
Here in Earth the relative isolation of the landmases is an insurance against global wide infections.
In a sea world, one has to wonder if things would not be different.
Don't visit.
....
I have not seen ESPN since Mosaic was the prevalent Web browser
This is a matter of principle. MS is using its monopolic power to yet once again (surprise,surprise) force its own wares to dominate a segement of the IT business.
The did so with the Web browser to the point that the only viable alternative has to be done by voluteers giving the software away for free. They did so with fileystem compression on real time by stealing another company's implementation (Stac Electronics, RIP).
They also got rid of competing products by making them cras in puepose when running in one of their OSes.
They backstabbed IBM when they abandoned OS/2 to promote Windows.
ANd here we are, they are doing it all over again, and the champions of lazines over freedom like you, like the frog choir, are chanting that it is easy, thus it should be good.
No, it is not good. This company is killing the ionnovation in the IT industry and it enerves me to no end that people are prepared to submit themselves to company convicted of unlawful behaviour so willingly.
People like you would at least think twice if a convicted criminal in any other sphere of life would approach them for a business too good to be tru, but when it comes to MS, a convicted abuser of a monopolic position, then all critical thinking dissapears, and the offering too good to be true is accepted blissfully ignorant of the pas and of its future implications (DRM, lock in, forced upgrade, monoculture).
Enough ranting, there is no hope.
The best family relationships can be broken by a business environment.
I really love my close relatives, I don't want to spoil that blurring the line between family and business.
If you do so just when you thought the working day and stress was over you may find yourself discussing business during dinner or during family gatherings. Do you need that? I don't.
And what is the point? You can join forces with friends or colleagues to which the emotional attachment is far less strong and with whom you can have properly drawn contractcs without anybody feeling guilty.
Shame that until the 60s blacks were treated like dirt, and in some places, thy (and other minorities) still are.
It seem like the land of the free is not too different after all.
The level of life in Mexico has raised as a consequence of NAFTA in spite of the carelessnes of the Mexican political leaders to protect sensitive industries that were not ready for competition (cars, farming). Salaries in real terms have raised since the introduction of NAFTA.
Mexico has benefitted so much that has instituted frre trade agreements with the EU and several countries in Latinamerica.
In the EU countries that used to be backwards like Portugal, Spain and Ireland have raised their level of life greatly thanks to free trade.
No wonder all of Europe is rushing to join the EU in spite of the sometimes onerous political burdens, the economic benefits are too obvious to ignore.
Then when prices of the goods and services you use creep up you will of course protest.
The cheap computer you are using, all the modern electronics that permit the optimization that support modern life in western countries, is a direct consequence of companies looking for more bang for their buck.
The US laws are not the most wonderful thing in the universe, it is only the realtive openess of the US markets that makes the US a hub for international commerce.
Make an stupid mistake (like mandating companies incorporated in the US should employ people in the US) and your economic hegemony would be over faster than you can say "catsup with those French fries please".
Where are the droves of people starving on the streets?
Where are the scenes of people hunting pigeons or rats in order to survive?
Common, show us how th US is going down the drain.
Just for starters, farming subsidies (in both the US and Europe) are killing any hope of countries whose only chance to improve economically is farming.
The US in the past has not hesitated when a company that has a monopolic position in a given country (bananas is Guatemala or Colmbia for example) required to overthrow a goverment amenable to their interests.
And of course we all know that Irak is about freeihng the Iraki people people. Oil? No way, my dirty cynical mentality of course. Oil has no part on this charade.
Google for "New American Century Cheney" and learn for yourself in place of showing your blantant ignorance in public.
In one side you have gay marriage in San Francisco, in the other you have, er , George Bush.
US climate? Which? The frozen lakes in Minnesota or the desert on the Death Valley?
US culture? Which? English? Irish? Native American? Hispanic? Chinese?
US political system? Which one? Corporation sponsored democracy? Where? California, NY or Texas?
Legal system? From which state?
Your family? How often do most people visit or even talk to theirs?
It is great for people like me, who has worked in 3 different continents and that has visited many countries in 4 continents to see people imposing artificial barriers to their own development.
Leave the world and it opportunities to us that can adjust to different cultures and can give a regular phone call (or plug a webcam) to keep in touch with family and friends wherever they are.
If SCO wins is because they showed the code that was infringed (ha,ha,ha).
Thus that code is removed, the individuals that "contributed" are banned from Linux development, and we continue happily ever after.
Or the Hurd finally becomes production grade.
UK, Germany, Spain, Italy, Mexico, South Africa are places I have been recently where there is no chance you can carry one of those with you.
What strange.
:-P
Tey were not rude to me, your sterotyping about personal higiene is patently false, and of course you don't know how it feels that you have to learn a new language to make better use of the Internet.
Oh wait, I am Mexican and I at least try to be polite and speak French. Mon dieu! Ces't la vie je pense.
Oh, and by the way it is "We Americans" not "We American's". No wonder the French get annoyed, they learn English properly and then get Americans with bad spelling
If your product was worth that much investment, there is no chance that a competitor would have a similar thing ready in one week. No way. If they did, that would mean your product was not worth that much investment anyway since it would be relatively evident to implement it.
The problem is that you are assuming that in a word without patents companies would develop products on the same way.
There are many things that would happen: one would be that innovation stalls compltely (unlikely, patents are a recent "innovation" and humanity innovated fine without them), in which case, we can always put them back in place.
Or companies would shift the risk of D&R to institutions with no interest in directly profit from discoveries or innovative implementations, like Universities or non profits financed by goverments and interested individuals and companies. Once they would find the cure for big feet, any interested company could commercialize the solution (lets say big shoes) and compete based on quality of service and costumer satisfaction. No wonder most companies find this freaking scary.
You would not be posting a single comment to this site if it was not for the social interaction that allows you to rant.
There is no single human activity that exist in isolation. None.
I have never dressed to conform. I have never used a suit or necktie. Not even for job interviews. This may be pointless but I have worked for and with Fortune whatever companies.
My grooming routine? Shower daily, dress clean clothes. Period.
I have still to be denied a job, I have a great life. Uhm. And I cut my heair every six or sevem months.
So frankly I don't see your point. It is so ful of stereotypes and generalizations that at the end has nothing worthwile to say about the topic at hand.