"Chambers" <ben### [at] pacificwebguycom> wrote in message 
news:48a8cd9e$1@news.povray.org...
> Darren New wrote:
>> Is there anything Microsoft could do that wouldn't be evil?
>
> Sure, the XBox is a great product, and has pretty much killed my impulse 
> to game on a PC.

 That's quite a heavy statement. Are you trying to justify your hard earned 
cash?

    ~Steve~




> ...Chambers

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Darren New wrote:

> Yes, this is somewhat of a troll. But I'm interested in hearing what 
> people think MS could do that wouldn't be either evil or immediately put 
> MS completely out of business.

Make quality software?

Regards,
John

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John VanSickle wrote:
> Darren New wrote:
> 
>> Yes, this is somewhat of a troll. But I'm interested in hearing what 
>> people think MS could do that wouldn't be either evil or immediately 
>> put MS completely out of business.
> 
> Make quality software?

But it would have to be quality software that obeys all the relevant 
standards *and* which doesn't compete with anything else. ;-)

-- 
Darren New / San Diego, CA, USA (PST)

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Warp wrote:
> Darren New <dne### [at] sanrrcom> wrote:
>> Is there anything Microsoft could do that wouldn't be evil?
> 
>   Microsoft is scary as hell.
> 
>   The OOXML issue is a good example of this. Microsoft convinced a big bunch
> of countries to raise their voting status in the ISO standardization
> organization for the sole reason to vote on the OOXML standard. After
> that these countries abandoned the ISO organization, causing it problems
> (because by the ISO rules any standard requires at least 50% of votes to
> be passed, and now there's a big bunch of voters who are not voting).
> 
>   Let me repeat that: Microsoft, a PRIVATE COMPANY, succeeded in making
> a bunch of COUNTRIES to raise their voting status on ISO for the sole
> purpose of voting for a standard proposal made by that PRIVATE COMPANY.
> 
>   Not individuals. Not other companies. COUNTRIES. Independent states.
> Those with independent governments.
> 
>   If that doesn't scare someone shitless, I don't know what will. The only
> other organization which has the same kind of power over the world countries
> is the OPEC cartel. And this isn't a private company, but a bunch of other
> countries.
> 
>   Is it any wonder that *anything* this monster organization does is seen
> as evil?

	You've shown it's scary.

	But evil?

-- 
CONgress (n) - Opposite of PROgress


                     /\  /\               /\  /
                    /  \/  \ u e e n     /  \/  a w a z
                        >>>>>>mue### [at] nawazorg<<<<<<
                                    anl

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Darren New wrote:
> Is there anything Microsoft could do that wouldn't be evil?

	Heh heh. If you write it up all over with references as footnotes, I'd 
love to pass it around.

	Basically, I actually started criticizing Microsoft criticism once I 
switched to Linux. I saw an alternative. It worked. It was stable. That 
fact alone made me realize a lot of MS bashing I would hear was just 
plain whining.

-- 
CONgress (n) - Opposite of PROgress


                     /\  /\               /\  /
                    /  \/  \ u e e n     /  \/  a w a z
                        >>>>>>mue### [at] nawazorg<<<<<<
                                    anl

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St. wrote:
> "Chambers" <ben### [at] pacificwebguycom> wrote in message 
> news:48a8cd9e$1@news.povray.org...
>> Darren New wrote:
>>> Is there anything Microsoft could do that wouldn't be evil?
>> Sure, the XBox is a great product, and has pretty much killed my impulse 
>> to game on a PC.
> 
>  That's quite a heavy statement. Are you trying to justify your hard earned 
> cash?

Not so much.  And it's not really the XBox itself, as it is a 
consequence of gaming in the living room.  It's much better than having 
your PC in a separate room in the house.

In fact, I've pretty much decided to only buy laptops at home from now 
on, for the same reason.  Being able to do the things I like in the 
living room, rather than a separate office / computer room, is so much 
more enjoyable to me that it's worth the extra price.

...Chambers

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>  Well that's exactly my point: The more the reason why it's so
> unbelievably scary that MS succeeded in pulling out that stunt

It's not scary at all, it's not like ISO writes laws, and actually it just 
outlined how bad ISO was organised (didn't they wonder that someday there 
might be some big issue that lots of memebers sign up for and then never 
vote again?).  Anyway, it's not unique, just that for some reason there are 
many more vocal anti-MS people online than anti-Nokia or anti-Ford etc.

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Darren New wrote:
> John VanSickle wrote:
>> Darren New wrote:
>>
>>> Yes, this is somewhat of a troll. But I'm interested in hearing what 
>>> people think MS could do that wouldn't be either evil or immediately 
>>> put MS completely out of business.
>>
>> Make quality software?
> 
> But it would have to be quality software that obeys all the relevant 
> standards *and* which doesn't compete with anything else. ;-)

I have no problems with MS competing with other wares from other 
vendors.  The mere fact that their software enjoys a larger user base 
than that of their competitors is not something I hold against them.

Nor do I have a problem with their packaging IE with their OS.  It's 
their right to offer their products in any combination that pleases them.

What I definitely do have a problem with, however, was mentioned earlier 
in the thread:  Running to governments in order to gain an advantage in 
the market.[1]  I despise that conduct in any corporation.  I also 
despise breach of contract, which was also mentioned.


Regards,
John
[1] Ironically, the elements of society that most heatedly denounce 
corporations that get favors from the government show no interest in 
eliminating the legislative powers by which those favors are granted.

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scott wrote:
> It's not scary at all, it's not like ISO writes laws, 

Yep. This sort of thing happens in the cell phone industry all the time 
too. Carriers in one country don't want to pay for that patents on 
technology owned by other countries, so they "corrupt" the standards 
(making them work more poorly *and* more expensively) to avoid the 
patent problems. No different, really.

I suspect if you were in any other industry, you'd see the same sort of 
things happening.

-- 
Darren New / San Diego, CA, USA (PST)

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