One has to wonder if the corporate directive at Microsoft
is as blatant as it seems from the outside. What is it that
makes them behave as if monopolistic bullying is an inherent
right for the biggest, baddest damned behemoth ever to roam
the face of the information economy? That they can rule the
Earth just because they think they'd like to give it a go?
It is almost inconceivable that they already rule planet PC,
from the operating system, to the web browser, to the email
client, to the word processing program, to the calendaring
program, to the media player, to the spreadsheet, to the
financial software, to the presentation application, to the
web server software, etc., etc., etc., ad infinitum.
Microsoft kinda oughtta be satisfied with that, eh? NOOOOO!
Let's have them control software RE-licensing, enterprise
mail servers, certification of network administrators, and
GEE fellas! How's about we develop a system called.Net in
which we store and control, via our proprietary system, all
the information on the planet? Cool idea huh?
While we're at it, why don't we tie all our products together,
being certain that nobody uses any competing software with
Smart Tags? These little geniuses will not only allow us to
control software worldwide, but all the advertising on every
web page in the world by allowing us to plant hyperlinks on
those pages that connect to advertisers who'll pay Microsoft
to hijack website traffic? Jeeeezz! This is sooooo cool!
Judge Penfield Jackson couldn't remain unbiased when he saw
these tactics and publicly stated his disdain for blatant
monopolistic practices that only a team of Microsoft lawyers
could possibly approve of. So it is almost as though the
court of appeals has now said, "No matter how heinous a crime,
don't ever let 'em see you flinch! It makes you look as if
you actually have some morals and standards. Judges are not
allowed public opinions!"
Next time Judge Jackson sees a horrific criminal act and is
tempted to pronounce the evildoer a bad boy, he'll likely
temper his statements, something on the order of, "Uh-uh-uh!
Don't do that!" Then shut his mouth tight as he sentences
the crook to life in prison for... "doing something that is
not allowed in our society." Don't say anything bad to them.
The problem is that Microsoft is made to appear the victim
of unfair judgement when the judge can't contain his disdain
for the absurdly monopolistic practices that have Microsoft
ruling not only Planet PC, but Planet Earth.
I am occasionally tempted to trade in my Macintosh for a PC
because I'm so frustrated that I MUST have Windows to run
applications I need to have. I've occasionally considered
purchasing the Microsoft Macintosh version of software so
that I can view PowerPoint presentations or upgrade from my
old Word version 6.0 for Mac because it garbles the text
from new Word Documents. But ultimately, I just can't do it.
I won't. I can't even stand the fact that new Mac specific
software emulates the look and feel of Microsoft products.
It was the other way round in the beginning, before Bill
copied Mac OS and put it on a PC and called it Windows.
It angers me that Internet Explorer comes with the Mac OS.
It drives me nuts that WebTrends and Web Position Gold only
come in Windows versions.
Linus Torvald is a personal hero to me. Open source is the
only answer to the ridiculous Microsoftopoly. My iMac and
I will stick it out and beg Steve Jobs to slay the Giant.
Or even an unbiased zipper-lipped judge could do it, as long
as he doesn't talk about his opinion, just enforces it.
About the Author
Mike Banks Valentine
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