Re: Microsoft, a Monopoly?

Posted by Matthew Wulfman on May 24, 1998 at 16:58:22:

In Reply to: Re: Microsoft, a Monopoly? posted by Tom Jones on May 23, 1998 at 16:06:52:

I wouldn't say that the consumer is stupid, however, the typical consumer is overwhelmed and ignorant. As someone with 10 years computing experience, who's worked with a variety fo products, I can tell you the Microsoft is a consumer products giant more than a purveyor of the technically superlative. Microsoft's market share is largely a product of marketting flare, not product superiority. they very cleverly wean the userbase away from long established computing concepts and terms with gimmicks like "my computer" making customers less computer literate. Meanwhile, with each passing day, the number of independent purchasing decisions left to consumers dwindles. what major purchase can you make now with referring to an "expert source"? What can you fix with referring it to a technician? Consumers are a) ignorant and b) at the mercy of the software industry.

: A lot of what you object to is normal in the free market, realitys that all businesses understand to be market competition. The government did nothing to give MS their market share, they won it. Why should the government feel compelled to strip them of it? The consumers gave MS their huge monopoly because they liked what MS did. I think the consumer is the only one to take it away... when they vote with their feet to go elsewhere. I don't think the consumer is stupid.

: : I think they have WAY too much of a market share for all
: : of their products. In reality, they deliver second rate
: : products to their customers and stifle good software
: : development by buying up innovative competitors or just
: : simply running them out of business. If Microsoft is
: : allowed to continue their practices, we will be stuck with
: : systems that do little but look nice on the monitor... Thats
: : OK, since the average computer user is really pretty stupid.
: : They don't care about reliability or cross platform
: : compatibility, they just want pretty graphics and a no-brains
: : interface.

: : I really hope Microsoft is busted up into smaller
: : companies. The software community will certainly benefit
: : from it.

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: I wouldn't say that the consumer is stupid, however, the typical consumer is overwhelmed and ignorant. As someone with 10 years computing experience, who's worked with a variety fo products, I can tell you the Microsoft is a consumer products giant more than a purveyor of the technically superlative. Microsoft's market share is largely a product of marketting flare, not product superiority. they very cleverly wean the userbase away from long established computing concepts and terms with gimmicks like "my computer" making customers less computer literate. Meanwhile, with each passing day, the number of independent purchasing decisions left to consumers dwindles. what major purchase can you make now with referring to an "expert source"? What can you fix with referring it to a technician? Consumers are a) ignorant and b) at the mercy of the software industry. : : A lot of what you object to is normal in the free market, realitys that all businesses understand to be market competition. The government did nothing to give MS their market share, they won it. Why should the government feel compelled to strip them of it? The consumers gave MS their huge monopoly because they liked what MS did. I think the consumer is the only one to take it away... when they vote with their feet to go elsewhere. I don't think the consumer is stupid. : : : I think they have WAY too much of a market share for all : : : of their products. In reality, they deliver second rate : : : products to their customers and stifle good software : : : development by buying up innovative competitors or just : : : simply running them out of business. If Microsoft is : : : allowed to continue their practices, we will be stuck with : : : systems that do little but look nice on the monitor... Thats : : : OK, since the average computer user is really pretty stupid. : : : They don't care about reliability or cross platform : : : compatibility, they just want pretty graphics and a no-brains : : : interface. : : : I really hope Microsoft is busted up into smaller : : : companies. The software community will certainly benefit : : : from it.