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View Full Version : Let's end the Microsoft monopoly: Give Apple and Linux a fair chance.


mh10190
January 10th, 2006, 11:51 AM
http://www.petitiononline.com/oftsucks/

Windows has a market share of 93.7%, more than the 40% required by the OFT to investigate. We all know the illegal practices of MS and yet the OFT has done nothing. The OFT says "Excessive prices or reduction in quality of service are typical results of exploitation of a monopoly". The Office of Fair Trade are not doing their job. Start signing!
Stormy Eyes
January 10th, 2006, 02:42 PM
Sounds like a waste of time and, if this petition somehow succeeds, taxpayers' money.
BWF89
January 10th, 2006, 04:45 PM
I don't know about Linux but it's Apples fault that Macintosh isn't as popular as it could be. While IBM was letting others make clones of the PC Apple was keeping tight proprietary control over their hardware and they are now paying for it.
aysiu
January 10th, 2006, 04:53 PM
Two thoughts:

1. With the success of the iPod, Apple's "fair chance" is probably not dependent on its desktop market share.

2. Apple and Linux won't succeed in the desktop market because of a petition.
stimpack
January 10th, 2006, 04:54 PM
I don't know about Linux but it's Apples fault that Macintosh isn't as popular as it could be. While IBM was letting others make clones of the PC Apple was keeping tight proprietary control over their hardware and they are now paying for it.

Yes and Apple are still happily making Macs whilst IBM have departed the market they created. :)
jc87
January 10th, 2006, 05:02 PM
Sounds like a waste of time and, if this petition somehow succeeds, taxpayers' money.

Is forcing a multinational to obey the law a waste of taxpayers money? i think not!
earobinson
January 10th, 2006, 05:06 PM
Ill sign... nothing will happen but im always in support of linux
potrick
January 10th, 2006, 05:14 PM
The court already tried splitting up Microsoft. It didn't work. No online petition is going to make anyone try that all over again, sorry.
SteelValor
January 10th, 2006, 05:33 PM
http://www.paulsjusticepage.com/images/cyborg.jpg

I got pWned by apache!!
Stormy Eyes
January 10th, 2006, 06:11 PM
Is forcing a multinational to obey the law a waste of taxpayers money? i think not!

If it's an unjust law that punishes a company for being "too successful", then it certainly is.
mstlyevil
January 10th, 2006, 07:08 PM
No Government is going to change the current situation about MSFT marketshare. MSFT is not where it is just because of unethical bussiness practices. There is a huge demand from the public for it's products and services because that is what most software and hardware is made to cater to. Also the market likes the idea of a standard and compatibility and Windows offers that. Apple tried to be that standard and lost because they put to tight of a control on their harware and software distribution. That is Apples fault and not MSFT or the market. Governments make a lot of noise about MSFT's bad buswsiness practices but will do relatively little about it because the people in it's own borders would get very upset if they lose the ability to buy software and know it will work on their computer. The only way Linux can get market share from MSFT is that we as a community have to convince others that Linux offers what they want and more. A petition is not going to decrease MSFT market share not even a percent so it is a wast of time and energy.
vayu
January 10th, 2006, 07:13 PM
If it's an unjust law that punishes a company for being "too successful", then it certainly is.

Much of their "success" is due to coersion.
awakatanka
January 10th, 2006, 07:26 PM
Will not sign because it doesn't help, nobody reads it nobody gets the signs.

What i know if apple would make a version that would work with all x86 machines a lot of people would buy it. Apple can also make good advertising so they would get a good share of the market. But for now they are more in hardware then software. If a apple os would be made for all x86 computers they wouldn't sell a lot of there good looking but expensive apple computers.
mstlyevil
January 10th, 2006, 07:27 PM
Much of their "success" is due to coersion.

They didn't put a gun to the consumers head. Who did they force to adopt Windows? They were in the right place at the right time with the right marketing strategy to gain the marketshare. That is capitalism 101. The consumers ultimately decided that Windows was the platform they wanted for various reasons. No one then was forced to use Windows as they are not forced to use it now. This community is proof of that and if more people decide that something else is superior then they will make the switch.
Stormy Eyes
January 10th, 2006, 08:03 PM
Much of their "success" is due to coersion.

What coercion? Dell didn't have to sign those OEM agreements in order to get a discount.
BWF89
January 11th, 2006, 01:01 AM
If it's an unjust law that punishes a company for being "too successful", then it certainly is.
I'd rather have my tax dollars going to do something good like making a corperation obey federal laws than alot of the other crap they waste it on.
MetalMusicAddict
January 11th, 2006, 01:19 AM
What coercion? Dell didn't have to sign those OEM agreements in order to get a discount.
I agree, in the strictest sence. But, Dell knew if they didnt they wouldnt have had a chance or be where there are now if they didnt. I think many would agree with that.

Now though, I wonder how often those agreements are renewed? Are they big enough to not sign now?

These questions and pressures are reasons I think Canonical should just cut out the middle man and put together their own desktops and laptops. I would buy one.

"Canonical - The Apple (in style only) of linux."
aysiu
January 11th, 2006, 02:23 AM
These questions and pressures are reasons I think Canonical should just cut out the middle man and put together their own desktops and laptops. I would buy one. I proposed this before (http://www.ubuntuforums.org/showthread.php?t=99090), but few seemed to support the idea or think it would work.
MetalMusicAddict
January 11th, 2006, 03:20 AM
Yea. I was the 2nd post. :) I think it will need to be Canonical that does it.

Either with Ubuntu or Impi.
drizek
January 11th, 2006, 03:46 AM
ill sign when you spell microsOFT correctly.
NeoChaosX
January 11th, 2006, 03:49 AM
Will not sign because it doesn't help, nobody reads it nobody gets the signs.

Quoting for emphasis. Online petitions do not work, folks! (http://www.snopes.com/inboxer/petition/internet.htm)
BSDFreak
January 11th, 2006, 03:59 AM
http://www.petitiononline.com/oftsucks/

Windows has a market share of 93.7%, more than the 40% required by the OFT to investigate. We all know the illegal practices of MS and yet the OFT has done nothing. The OFT says "Excessive prices or reduction in quality of service are typical results of exploitation of a monopoly". The Office of Fair Trade are not doing their job. Start signing!

I just read the petition and without providing any kind of evidence for your assertions you sound like a ranting kid, rewrite it and remove the assertions that you can't proove (like bugs) and maybe someone will take you seriously.