Yes, but the classic definition is a free market, with zero cost of entry, zero cost of information, all information available to all participants, and in which no contracts can be made that impinge upon these.
Like we have ever had that.
The only thing that has been changing is that cost of information and availability of information are improving - but they're not free, just cheaper.
The problem arises in that, once the decree comes down, no matter how it's worded, MSFT will come out fighting, using any and all tricks it can to regain its dominance. Time and time again, they have shown they will do anything and everything to quash competition.
They may stop using certain licenses, but they employ a lot of lawyers who have certainly been using this phase to think up new approaches in contract language to regain the monopoly.
In all, three things have brought about the decline of MSFT's dominance: 1. Having to act like a reasonable business while the court case was on; 2. Y2K causing people NOT to upgrade software or hardware once they were Y2K compliant; and 3. That nasty, nasty Linux and all its open-source ilk.
Once the case is over, 1 and 2 will go away. Which leaves them to concentrate on 3. And they will.
Seriously, why should we blow money on F-22s when we can just take Stealth Fighters and equip them with JATO strap-ons (late 90s) for the dumb bombs? Cost is $2000 strap on to a $500 bomb, accuracy is 95+% (way better than those 75% smart bombs) and it works in cloud cover.
Fast and cheap, just like the space program. Sure, let's send people to Mars, but why not send robots to collect fuel for the return trip, establish the Mars base, and set up the solar collectors first? Way cheaper and we can send more people in the long run.
The GOP approach is throw money at it. Like buying Windows NT boxen when you could get Linux boxen that actually work and cost less. The Demos, because they're the party of fiscal prudence, insist on Linux boxen.
Me, I think the Demos have the right tack, but then, I'm biased.
Pardon me for giving it a miss, but this just doesn't excite me the way that Red Hat or Bamboo did. Now, VA Linux Systems or Penguin Computing might get me interested.
It'll probably go up though. But who knows.
Me I just put a $140 limit on my Red Hat (IPO at $14), since people are going nuts.
I hate big bulky boxen for portable music. I love my translucent blue-green Rio. Just pop 2 or 3 CDs of music in and I'm set for the day - perfect for busses.
On the other hand, I might pick up the version that has FM, recording, and MP3 as well, but am waiting for price to drop a bit.
But then, I've M2d twice so far, and my karma is up to 9. Amusingly, scott__, who I work with, has 0 karma.
Remember, the M2 serves up a bunch of random posts, without the parent comment, so even an M2 might not help if an M1 Flamebaits or Trolls you. When I can't be sure if it's Fair or Unfair (due to context, I usually don't weigh in, unless it's heap full 'o grammatical errors and misspelling. Or if it's in ALL CAPS. I have no mercy for such things, having once been a proofreader.
Exactly. At this moment in time, it's grannies buying computers for the school kids. Informal conversations show that not only do at least half of all local (Seattle and environ) grannies know that Linux is a type of computer (hey, we're talking grannies here - they think Mac, MSFT, Linux - at least they believe in educating the youngsters). And they know that Red Hat is a Good Thing to be for Linux. Plus it reminds them of their glory days, just like that nice swing dancing the grandkids do.
So, Red Hat extends the market into the desktop and the server space, at the cost of future growth of Microsoft. And the grannies love the fact that the kids think they're cool for buying them Red Hat Linux boxen, plus they save Hundreds of Dollars when they do. Win win.
After 2002 it all changes, with the surviving large-marketshare distros battling for dominance, but for now, this is the playing field:
Grannies for desktop and CEOs for servers
Choosy Grannies and CEOs both know Red Hat is Reliable and Good. Plus they adore the snap-brim logo and the cautious rebel image style effect.
It's image, quality, reputation. Not what you or I care about, just the fluff...
Like it or not, to the average CEO/CIO/CFO it's Linux versus Microsoft. I just got my official Idea shot down at the place I work: to use old boxen for Linux test DB and test Web servers for the developers. Why? Because "at this time, the platform is still immature and there are few stable applications that have been ported to it." Oh, and the misconception that using Linux "will not reduce the failure rates nor make them Y2K compliant."
So, yeah, around 2002-2005 we'll see the Linux Wars (TM) between Red Hat, S.u.S.e., and whatever distros are doing ok then, but for the next few years the big boy on the block is Microsoft.
If I was Red Hat (wait, I own shares - guess I am), I would offer an O2K disaster relief program. For anyone who installed W2K and O2K, offer to give them a $24.95 upgrade to RH 6.2 with StarOffice with full docs and support, so they can get their servers back running in production mode.
Well, I suppose one could go totally anonymous. AC all the way - but - it's not hard to generate positive karma either.
I've been through so many OS wars my head spins and been flamed by more than one side many a time.
Face it, if you want privacy in totality, you need to move to Europe - the US will happily sell it to the next person to offer a buck for your personal secrets.
Slashdot Mirror
Hmm. Nope. Dissolved and liquidated and all patents and copyrights returned to the people.
...
Nationalizing MSFT would harm the GDP, as the government would then use the (free to them) MSFT products, with all their inherent shoddy code.
;-)
Naturally, the copyrights should become copylefts
Well, except that it's going down. I (sigh) sold it at $199 1/2 myself (yes, only 800% profit, as opposed to those who got 900%).
And I'm hoping it will keep going down to somewhere in the thirties or forties, so I can buy a few thousand shares then.
I doubt the judge will be concerned about Linux providers stock prices (yes, I know, they're just one distro, but they don't understand that).
Yes, but the classic definition is a free market, with zero cost of entry, zero cost of information, all information available to all participants, and in which no contracts can be made that impinge upon these.
Like we have ever had that.
The only thing that has been changing is that cost of information and availability of information are improving - but they're not free, just cheaper.
Companies are permitted to be founded for the good of the people. They should not have any rights.
That they do is a shame and was slipped through in legislation a few decades ago.
Not that I care, since I have holdings in a large number of companies, but it's not fair to the people that don't.
The problem arises in that, once the decree comes down, no matter how it's worded, MSFT will come out fighting, using any and all tricks it can to regain its dominance. Time and time again, they have shown they will do anything and everything to quash competition.
They may stop using certain licenses, but they employ a lot of lawyers who have certainly been using this phase to think up new approaches in contract language to regain the monopoly.
In all, three things have brought about the decline of MSFT's dominance:
1. Having to act like a reasonable business while the court case was on;
2. Y2K causing people NOT to upgrade software or hardware once they were Y2K compliant; and
3. That nasty, nasty Linux and all its open-source ilk.
Once the case is over, 1 and 2 will go away. Which leaves them to concentrate on 3. And they will.
I mean, get real. The entire Yugo air force was splashed or never got off the ground. With existing planes.
...
We don't need more expensive planes, we need more efficient, more omnipresent planes.
Wake up and smell the defense cuts
;-)
You are so 1995.
Seriously, why should we blow money on F-22s when we can just take Stealth Fighters and equip them with JATO strap-ons (late 90s) for the dumb bombs? Cost is $2000 strap on to a $500 bomb, accuracy is 95+% (way better than those 75% smart bombs) and it works in cloud cover.
Fast and cheap, just like the space program. Sure, let's send people to Mars, but why not send robots to collect fuel for the return trip, establish the Mars base, and set up the solar collectors first? Way cheaper and we can send more people in the long run.
The GOP approach is throw money at it. Like buying Windows NT boxen when you could get Linux boxen that actually work and cost less. The Demos, because they're the party of fiscal prudence, insist on Linux boxen.
Me, I think the Demos have the right tack, but then, I'm biased.
And I sure don't trust my privacy to the GOP.
And I just have a hard time seeing how guns will help the Internet being censored - are you proposing that every packet be armed.
...
Arm every packet
Slirp every song
If we give them weapons
They'll be all alone
;-)
Hmm. I'm changing my mind. Maybe this is a good IPO. Depends on the prospectus and pricing.
Pardon me for giving it a miss, but this just doesn't excite me the way that Red Hat or Bamboo did. Now, VA Linux Systems or Penguin Computing might get me interested.
It'll probably go up though. But who knows.
Me I just put a $140 limit on my Red Hat (IPO at $14), since people are going nuts.
Oh.
I hate big bulky boxen for portable music. I love my translucent blue-green Rio. Just pop 2 or 3 CDs of music in and I'm set for the day - perfect for busses.
On the other hand, I might pick up the version that has FM, recording, and MP3 as well, but am waiting for price to drop a bit.
Which is a bit less.
I remember my 110/300 baud modem. And how I envied those spoiled college kids with their 1200 baud modems.
Hmm. Yeah, Tux sewing patterns ... not a bad idea.
Cool. If you get karma for M2 and M1 and posting, I'll be at 20 tomorrow.
;-)
But for posting articles, it should only be if the article is actually approved.
But then, I've M2d twice so far, and my karma is up to 9. Amusingly, scott__, who I work with, has 0 karma.
Remember, the M2 serves up a bunch of random posts, without the parent comment, so even an M2 might not help if an M1 Flamebaits or Trolls you. When I can't be sure if it's Fair or Unfair (due to context, I usually don't weigh in, unless it's heap full 'o grammatical errors and misspelling. Or if it's in ALL CAPS. I have no mercy for such things, having once been a proofreader.
Exactly. At this moment in time, it's grannies buying computers for the school kids. Informal conversations show that not only do at least half of all local (Seattle and environ) grannies know that Linux is a type of computer (hey, we're talking grannies here - they think Mac, MSFT, Linux - at least they believe in educating the youngsters). And they know that Red Hat is a Good Thing to be for Linux. Plus it reminds them of their glory days, just like that nice swing dancing the grandkids do.
...
So, Red Hat extends the market into the desktop and the server space, at the cost of future growth of Microsoft. And the grannies love the fact that the kids think they're cool for buying them Red Hat Linux boxen, plus they save Hundreds of Dollars when they do. Win win.
After 2002 it all changes, with the surviving large-marketshare distros battling for dominance, but for now, this is the playing field:
Grannies for desktop
and
CEOs for servers
Choosy Grannies and CEOs both know Red Hat is Reliable and Good. Plus they adore the snap-brim logo and the cautious rebel image style effect.
It's image, quality, reputation. Not what you or I care about, just the fluff
Like it or not, to the average CEO/CIO/CFO it's Linux versus Microsoft. I just got my official Idea shot down at the place I work: to use old boxen for Linux test DB and test Web servers for the developers. Why? Because "at this time, the platform is still immature and there are few stable applications that have been ported to it." Oh, and the misconception that using Linux "will not reduce the failure rates nor make them Y2K compliant."
So, yeah, around 2002-2005 we'll see the Linux Wars (TM) between Red Hat, S.u.S.e., and whatever distros are doing ok then, but for the next few years the big boy on the block is Microsoft.
If I was Red Hat (wait, I own shares - guess I am), I would offer an O2K disaster relief program. For anyone who installed W2K and O2K, offer to give them a $24.95 upgrade to RH 6.2 with StarOffice with full docs and support, so they can get their servers back running in production mode.
Cheap, effective, and gets MSFT where it hurts.
So, as the industry analysts drop the MSFT rating and the price drops $2, while RHAT jumps up to $124 (IPO was $14) today ... you were saying?
...
...
Three billionaires and counting
Memo to self: sell? um, maybe. Maybe not
Well, I suppose one could go totally anonymous. AC all the way - but - it's not hard to generate positive karma either.
I've been through so many OS wars my head spins and been flamed by more than one side many a time.
Face it, if you want privacy in totality, you need to move to Europe - the US will happily sell it to the next person to offer a buck for your personal secrets.
Hmm. Interesting statement. But, given actual experiences by many people on other News sources such as InfoWorld, pardon me for being skeptical.
...
But that could just be because I'm
Cool!
I'll take two!
Well, I suppose. Why not tennis rackets instead
Yeah, I'm actually surprised that it's over my $100 end of year target (and you thought I was joshing, right).
... um, do I have to sell?
Which, to a sound investor, means
Sigh.
Buy on the dips, sell on the peaks.
Star Trek: Good Ship Lollypop?
or
Star Trek: Yog Shothoth's Revenge
or
Star Trek: Groovy, Baby!! Yeah!
oh well