Re: no Java in XP Windows

Chris,

This is one of those few times that I must disagree. :(

From my viewpoint, breaking up Microsoft into multiple companies will
not accomplish anything other than there would be two companies strong
arming the manufacturers.

Here's how Microsoft got the leverage they did (at least this is the way
I heard it):

At the retail level a consumer could buy DOS/Win3.1 for $99.
The retailer could buy it for $60.

Now in contract negotiations with PC manufacturers, Microsoft gave them
only two choices: 1) Pay us $30 for DOS/Win3.1, but you must pay it for
each and every machine you manufacture, whether you load DOS/Win3.1 on
it or not, or 2) Pay $60 for each machine that you actually load it on
just like any other retailer.

What this did was three things, 1) In a hot competitive market, it only
took one PC manufacturer to sign this $30 deal to gain enough
competitive edge that all the rest had to follow suit. 2)  It created a
disincentive for the PC manufacturer to care about any other flavor DOS
or competitive OS, and finally 3) (this is what I believe violates the
Sherman Antitrust Act) It forced any consumer to pay for a Microsoft
product whether they wanted it or not.

Just as a side note, it is my understanding that a consumer can not be
forced to buy a secondary, unwanted, product in order to acquire the
primary product.

Microsoft's defense in their contract was that noone "forced" them to
sign it, so it was the manufacturers, not Microsoft, that catapulted
them to the position they now hold.

By breaking Microsoft into two separate companies, there is nothing to
prevent the OS division from continuing the above practice while the
Apps division creates a similar pricing structure.

We would them have two amoebas.  Two very large amoebas.

J. Kilgore

Chris Rehm wrote:
> 
> Why, thanks for asking!
> 
> The point of breaking them up is to allow other companies equal access to
> opportunities to bundle with the operating system.
>
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