Cory Nelson wrote:
> Kevin Gowen wrote:
>
>> Cory Nelson wrote:
>>> Darrien wrote:
>>>> Anytime someone has problems with Microsoft products, all they can
>>>> seem to say is: "Drop M$ (I'm so cool^W l337, I spelt M$ with a '$'
>>>> hur hur hur) use Linux" Without bothering to say WHY you should use
>>>> Linux.
>>>
>>> Hmmm... apparently you take things _way_ too seriously.  I've
>>> contracted out to Microsoft in various forms over the course of
>>> years, and am merely using a symbolic (if not over used by some
>>> groups) representation of M$ for Microsoft, based on _my_ feelings
>>> towards the company as a whole.
>>
>> What feelings of yours does writing "MS" as "M$" represent? The
>> earth-shattering proposition that Microsoft is in business to make a
>> profit?
>>
> For starters:
>
> 1) Microsoft relies on bloated advertising budgets and leveraging
> their dominant market position to sell their
> less-than-release-candidate-quality software.

Wow. Imagine a corporation doing that in order to turn a profit. Wow.

> 2) They tend to _borrow_ intellectual property and turn it around for
> a profit without giving credit where it's due.

Wow. Is that anything like StarOffice?

> 3) It costs about $100 to call their tech support (beyond initial
> support periods) to get answers to problems like Mike C. posted in
> his original problem statement to this newsgroup.  Of course, far
> more than that for Enterprise Customers.

Wow. The unmitigated gall.

> 4) Shoddy, profit-driven licenses that don't even make sense.  For
> example, Microsoft imposes a per processor license fee on OEMs,
> regardless of whether or not the box has a Microsoft O/S.  This taxes
> small retailers in the sense that Computer Manufacturing is a high
> overhead, low markup business.  The OEMs cant absorb the increased
> overhead.

Wow. Shame on Microsoft for holding guns to people's heads in order to make
them pay license fees.

> I think much of my animosity stems from abuse of position and power as
> opposed to utilitarian ethics... anyway, I'm completely rambling.

Let me know when they start abusing their position and power.

-- 
Kevin Gowen