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Ed Hansberry
07-29-2002, 11:30 PM
<a href="http://zdnet.com.com/2100-1107-946250.html">http://zdnet.com.com/2100-1107-946250.html</a><br /><br />Microsoft has taken some hits over the years and seems to often be the company people love to hate. Hey, when you are at the top of the heap, you make an easy target. I'll quickly list the reasons why Microsoft is a good company, but I encourage you to go read the details.<br /><br />10. Microsoft drives computing costs down <br />9. Microsoft has been instrumental in bringing computing to ordinary people <br />8. Microsoft employees absolutely <i>love</i> their company <br />7. Microsoft pays loads in taxes <br />6. Its founder has donated more money to charity than anyone in history <br />5. Microsoft creates a computing economy worth far greater than its own net worth <br />4. One of the largest R&amp;D budgets in the industry <br />3. Microsoft takes risks<br />2. A beacon of profitability in a sea of red ink<br />1. No accounting scandals at Microsoft <br /><br />Being an accountant, the #1 reason is a bit funny to me. In fact, Microsoft underwent some SEC scrutiny and got a minor wrist-slapping recently. Seems they were <i>under</i> reporting some revenue items, being overly conservative, and were forced to change their earnings upwards.

cscullion
07-30-2002, 12:02 AM
I agree with most of these. But number 7 is a myth. Coporations don't pay taxes. They merely collect taxes from customers, employees, and shareholders and forward them to the government.

I don't think the computer industry would be nearly as advanced today without Microsoft... they made a standard that made software profitable.

krisbrown
07-30-2002, 12:08 AM
There's ten reasons why people hate Microsoft, cos many people might agree with those statements, but the reality is the complete opposite, Microsoft bloatware has been responsible for holding back creative software and hardware solutions for the sole purpose of keeping one man in riches beyond belief, he is giving it away because of the utter absurdity of one man having a thousand billion dollars while a third of the world starves.

Paul P
07-30-2002, 12:12 AM
That article generated some interesting discussions on ZD, but it was more entertaining to read people expressing their pure hatered and discontent for Microsoft. :)

Btw, is there a way to see all of the posts on ZD at the same time without having to go from one post to the other?

Foo Fighter
07-30-2002, 12:12 AM
10. Microsoft drives computing costs down.

It's a shame this can't be said for Microsoft's existence in the PDA market. :roll:

entropy1980
07-30-2002, 12:21 AM
10. Microsoft drives computing costs down.

It's a shame this can't be said for Microsoft's existence in the PDA market. :roll:
Hey they got to make money somewhere.... yeah right from what I understand they aren't making a whole lot on PPC OS.... maybe 25-30 dollars a unit.

malcolmsharp
07-30-2002, 12:28 AM
Not sure of the case with MS, but under reporting can be just as much a dodge as over reporting. Some do it to withhold it from a very good period so they can report it on a down cycle.

Ed Hansberry
07-30-2002, 12:30 AM
It's a shame this can't be said for Microsoft's existence in the PDA market. :roll:
I figured you'd jump on that one.

Lessee. Take a non-Microsoft solution and:
• Play music while on business trips
• Record my voice so I can safely capture ideas in the car.
• Workable email solution that supports IMAP4 and POP3.
• Not force me to learn a proprietary input method
• Terminal Server capabilites
• Inexpensive and non-proprietary ethernet access
• Inexpensive and non-proprietary modem dialup
• Basic web access
• Ability to switch between apps without having them close down. (Think productivity here and cost of someones salary)

Before you say "Wait - who needs all of that!?!" look at what Palm is moving towards in OS5 and beyond.

I'd say pound for pound, Microsoft offers more bang for the buck in their offerings, assuming you want more than PIM.

entropy1980
07-30-2002, 12:37 AM
It's a shame this can't be said for Microsoft's existence in the PDA market. :roll:
I figured you'd jump on that one.

Lessee. Take a non-Microsoft solution and:
• Play music while on business trips
• Record my voice so I can safely capture ideas in the car.
• Workable email solution that supports IMAP4 and POP3.
• Not force me to learn a proprietary input method
• Terminal Server capabilites
• Inexpensive and non-proprietary ethernet access
• Inexpensive and non-proprietary modem dialup
• Basic web access
• Ability to switch between apps without having them close down. (Think productivity here and cost of someones salary)

Before you say "Wait - who needs all of that!?!" look at what Palm is moving towards in OS5 and beyond.

I'd say pound for pound, Microsoft offers more bank for the buck in their offerings, assuming you want more than PIM.
Good points, even if Palm matches with OS 5 , which I don't think it will since it's tied to the ball and chain of maintaining compatibility, Microsoft will have a chance to improve upon what they already have while Palm contimues to play catch up, not to mention work out all the bugs assosciated witha new OS, I mean come on when people say Palm is rock solid I should hope so they had what, 6 or so years to do it?

pt
07-30-2002, 12:47 AM
It's a shame this can't be said for Microsoft's existence in the PDA market. :roll:

i don't know the exact dollar figure, but i think when ms sells an oem the pocket pc os it's a small $ per unit, maybe $40 or so?

cheers,
pt

mchang
07-30-2002, 12:48 AM
I'll completely ignore the fact that Ziff Davis is a complete and utter Microsoft mouthpiece and go into some details.

10. Microsoft drives computing costs down

Microsoft themselves did not make computer parts cheap. Microsoft makes very few computer parts. It is akin to saying that AT&T makes *phones* cheaper. Not so. Now if Microsoft subsidized the computer hardware industry, I'd give ZDNet the benefit of the doubt. Think about Microsoft hardware, though, and you'll usually see the most expensive keyboards and mice out there.

Winmodem is not a specification. It is a monopoly. Microsoft doesn't do anything in particular to allow the existence of WinModems. While cheaper, they are still operating-system specific only because the manufacturers are reluctant to provide drivers for "lesser" operating systems. Lucent being a notable exception.

9. Microsoft has been instrumental in bringing computing to ordinary people

I really thought we gave that moniker to to Apple and the Macintosh. Oh yes, Microsoft stole that user interface, so I guess hats off to Microsoft. The idea of the GUI and mouse came from Xerox PARC. We've always laughed off Macintosh users because they couldn't "cope" with the PC environment (M$ operating systems included). The Most Joe User Friendly award has to go to Apple.

8. Microsoft employees absolutely love their company

They may, but how does this make the company a good citizen? Microsoft is not known for paying well. I am a PhD student in the computer sciences field (in Seattle no less), and many (many) collegues have interviewed at Microsoft. The first thing they say is that their interviewing procedure is ridiculous and their pay scale is poor. According to http://www.businessweek.com/1999/99_48/b3657197.htm, Microsoft pays only int the 65th percentile. According to Fortune's Top Employers list, Microsoft ranks #28.

7. Microsoft pays loads in taxes

Microsoft itself paid ZERO corporate income taxes. http://www.ecommercetimes.com/perl/story/4526.html. This has been a hot topic in Seattle for years now. Every time tax season rolls around, all the news channels carry at least one story about how Microsoft pays NOTHING to the federal government. ZD needs to get the facts straight.

6. Its founder has donated more money to charity than anyone in history

He also has more money than anyone else in history. George Soros has donated $2.8 billion but has a remaining net worth of $5 billion according to a Salon profile: http://dir.salon.com/people/bc/2001/03/27/soros/index.html. He also has pledged to donate the rest of his fortune by the time he turns 80. Hmmm... Looks like Bill has a ways to go.

5. Microsoft creates a computing economy worth far greater than its own net worth

Quoting from the article: "you'll find that there is far more money made from Microsoft products outside of Redmond than is made inside of it". This means there are developers. Geez, I hope they make more money than the the company making the operating system they support. They gotta program something, right? I'll give them this one. Microsoft does have a lot of apps for their operating systems.

4. One of the largest R&D budgets in the industry

Yep. They do. For a company that has $7 billion and change of revenue per Quarter, you'd hope they would.

3. Microsoft takes risks

Also read as "Microsoft sees huge revenue streams and goes after them."

2. A beacon of profitability in a sea of red ink

I'll give them that. It's been good to have money in MSFT for a long time now.

1. No accounting scandals at Microsoft

Just FTC investigations...

Just goes to show you that Ziff Davis is just Microsoft propaganda. Always has been. I understand why this was posted here, though, as PPC Thoughts is definitely Pro PocketPC and Microsoft. That's all fine and dandy. I love my ipaq, and my Maestro. Just wanted to shed a little different light on the top 10.

Ed Hansberry
07-30-2002, 01:01 AM
I'll completely ignore the fact that Ziff Davis is a complete and utter Microsoft mouthpiece and go into some details.

10. Microsoft drives computing costs down

Microsoft themselves did not make computer parts cheap.
No one said they did. THey make computing cheap, and they do. Our company does on a $200,000 network what would have cost over $500,000 had we gone the AS/400 big-iron route.

Paul P
07-30-2002, 01:30 AM
7. Microsoft pays loads in taxes

Microsoft itself paid ZERO corporate income taxes. http://www.ecommercetimes.com/perl/story/4526.html. This has been a hot topic in Seattle for years now. Every time tax season rolls around, all the news channels carry at least one story about how Microsoft pays NOTHING to the federal government. ZD needs to get the facts straight.

The article describes stock options. The fact that thousands of companies issue them is irrelevant I guess. The advantages of stock options to those same thousands of companies, and hence to the investors and the general public, are also left out.

“The only expense the company incurred was the cost of printing out the stock certificates” - from the article.

There is no such thing as ‘no expense’ to the company. If you are a Microsoft shareholder/investor, you want to see as fewer stock options issued as possible. But this article does not mention anything about dilution.


6. Its founder has donated more money to charity than anyone in history

He also has more money than anyone else in history. George Soros has donated $2.8 billion but has a remaining net worth of $5 billion according to a Salon profile: http://dir.salon.com/people/bc/2001/03/27/soros/index.html. He also has pledged to donate the rest of his fortune by the time he turns 80. Hmmm... Looks like Bill has a ways to go.



Gates still represents an indispensable element of the company. His interest in the company is critical. Most of his wealth is in the Microsoft stock he owns. What do you want him do to, start selling it? There are consequences to selling stock in your own company. In this environment, the last thing you want to do is send the wrong message to shareholders by aggressively dumping your own stock.

spg
07-30-2002, 01:56 AM
I'll completely ignore the fact that Ziff Davis is a complete and utter Microsoft mouthpiece and go into some details.

10. Microsoft drives computing costs down

Microsoft themselves did not make computer parts cheap.
No one said they did. THey make computing cheap, and they do. Our company does on a $200,000 network what would have cost over $500,000 had we gone the AS/400 big-iron route.

Ok, but look at the ridiculously high prices of software like Office or Windows. The price keeps going up, almost to the point where I can't afford to own the latest edition of Office. This is what makes me mad, this multi-billion dollar company that makes 30 billion a day, still charging so much to end users. Also take a look at their new volume liscense plans, they make the prices much higher. Sure, Microsoft may have I made computing cheap to begin with, but prices are now geting higher and higher.

Macguy59
07-30-2002, 02:22 AM
I would take issue with #3. MS tends to ride the coat tails of other risk takers.

Master O'Mayhem
07-30-2002, 02:28 AM
There should be a 1a. Microsoft will make Bluetooth so easy even EdH will like it. :P

dugn
07-30-2002, 02:42 AM
I thought I'd dodge the Pro-Microsoft vs. Against Microsoft banter to add my two cents as an MS employee (who was a former Novell, WordPerfect UNIX and UNIX/RS6000 Admin - just so you know I wasn't always on the MS side of the fence).

8. Microsoft employees absolutely love their company

I love my job. I used to join an IT firm, master their problems in 6 months, fix everything wrong in 12, then coast for 6, get bored, then leave for more challenging jobs elsewhere. After 4 1/2 years at MS, I recently made a move from one team to another - and I'm STILL Loving it. It's a fun challenge where you're surrounded by brilliant people each and every day. There's not a moment you can coast because everyone around you inspires you to be even better than you were the day before. It's a great job!


2. A beacon of profitability in a sea of red ink

I'm not an accountant - and I don't want to speak to that angle - but I have to say, there was absolutely no better comfort than knowing I worked for a company that wasn't going to go belly-up during the DOT-bomb of the last few years.

Each technology is new and comes with its own set of challenges - whether that's Pocket PC's thrust into a market saturated by Palm, desktop and server OSes that require innovation and security previously never required of Windows, or the niche of end-user applications such as Money, MS Works, Encarta, there's never a dull or boring moment at the supposed "Evil Empire". Do we always do it right? Nahh. Do we ever stop trying to do it better - NO WAY! And that's one of the erasons I like it so much.

Although I'm not qualified to comment on all of the points in the ZDNet article, I'm just glad to see something nice said about the coolest software shop I've ever had the pleasure of making a career with.

Cheers - and enjoy Pocket PCs!

marconelly
07-30-2002, 03:59 AM
8. Microsoft employees absolutely love their company

That's weird. Several people I know who work there have nothing really good to say about MS. Backstabbing galore, unsporty practices among their co-workers, they aren't even payed that much...

Jason Dunn
07-30-2002, 04:32 AM
i don't know the exact dollar figure, but i think when ms sells an oem the pocket pc os it's a small $ per unit, maybe $40 or so?

WAY less...like $8 to $10. The software is NOT a major factor in device cost, so anyone pointing the fingers at Microsoft for "inflating" the prices of devices is a tad uneducated. :!:

Sslixtis
07-30-2002, 04:46 AM
Well I guess I'll go ahead and label myself a Microsoftie. But I have to say this, Isn't what Bill Gates has built the American dream? Can anyone honestly say that if they had the opportunity to build a company like MS that they wouldn't. Everytime I hear all the carping about MS and why they are Evil, the people doing the talking sound like old style communist demagogues to me. (You can use Encarta to look up demagogue, link below :wink: ) Lets see, they are Evil because: They are profitable, good at what they do, have become the standard, force others to improve their products (Palm, Novell, Netscape etc...), they founded a $24 Billion charity to help end disease in third world countires and found libraries in remote regions (Just to look good of course, all PR, who cares who it ACTUALLY helps), provide 50,000 people directly with jobs and untold millions more who indirectly have jobs because of them.

After writng this I now see the light, what was I thinking? Down with the Evil SOBs, hey while we are at it lets get rid of Intel as well! All Hail Linux and AMD, the righteous saviors of mankind!!! Oooh, while we are on the path to unshackling our proletariat brothers around the globe lets get rid of CocaCola, Pepsico, McDonalds, Nike, IBM, GE, HPaq, Dell, the entire Entertainment Industry, have I missed any big successful companies that are the bane of the "Righteous Man"? If so let me know and we can carve them up with the others and redistibute their undeserved wealth to all the lazy, unmotivated, leeches of society, :oops: uhmm, I mean poor oppressed masses who deserve their fair share, they've earned it after all by being born! Rant over; for now.
:twisted: :evil:

http://dictionary.msn.com/find/entry.asp?search=demagogue

Foo Fighter
07-30-2002, 05:09 AM
The software is NOT a major factor in device cost, so anyone pointing the fingers at Microsoft for "inflating" the prices of devices is a tad uneducated. :!:

No one is blaming Microsoft for "inflating" OS license fees, but in many regards they are to blame for the high price of PocketPC devices. PPC is expensive because it requires so much high-end hardware to power it. Microsoft, IMO, foolishly relied on hardware evolution to fix the shortcomings of WinCE. Just as they did with Windows on the PC. Instead of making a more efficient OS that could run on "slower" inexpensive processors with less RAM, they simply attacked the problem by throwing more hardware at it. Because of this we are surrounded by insanely high priced handhelds costing upwards of $600. Hopefully we are coming to a point where PPC will slide down to more realistic price levels, but I'll believe that when I see it (other than just the e310).

Palm, on the other hand, suffers from the exact opposite problem. Because PalmOS requires so little hardware to run efficiently, Palm had little incentive to move to a faster..more robust architecture. Prices remained stable, and decreased over time as hardware costs deflated (and competition intensified). But now they are paying for this shortsighted vision. The industry (led by Microsoft) has begun to standardize on ARM. Now Palm is scrambling to catch up, both in hardware and software. It may be too late for them. Especially with regards to the OS, which is just a port of OS4.1 for ARM...WHOOPI! :roll:

Sslixtis
07-30-2002, 05:42 AM
Ok Foo Fighter, What did all that mean? :lol:

Paul P
07-30-2002, 06:09 AM
Well I guess I'll go ahead and label myself a Microsoftie. But I have to say this, Isn't what Bill Gates has built the American dream? Can anyone honestly say that if they had the opportunity to build a company like MS that they wouldn't. Everytime I hear all the carping about MS and why they are Evil, the people doing the talking sound like old style communist demagogues to me. (You can use Encarta to look up demagogue, link below :wink: ) Lets see, they are Evil because: They are profitable, good at what they do, have become the standard, force others to improve their products (Palm, Novell, Netscape etc...), they founded a $24 Billion charity to help end disease in third world countires and found libraries in remote regions (Just to look good of course, all PR, who cares who it ACTUALLY helps), provide 50,000 people directly with jobs and untold millions more who indirectly have jobs because of them.


Good point. Blaming Bill Gates for doing something that makes U.S. the greatest country in the world doesn't make much sense.

CoffeeKid
07-30-2002, 07:49 AM
Ed... Ed... Ed...


Sigh, nope, I'm not going to touch this propoganda posting with a 10 foot pole. I'm off to read some wrastlin results 8)

Mark

Andrew Duffy
07-30-2002, 09:41 AM
Have a look at http://www.altairiv.demon.co.uk/troll/trollfaq.html for some tips!

:wink:

Ed Hansberry
07-30-2002, 12:28 PM
Sigh, nope, I'm not going to touch this propoganda posting with a 10 foot pole. I'm off to read some wrastlin results 8)
I didn't say I agreed with all of it. And wrastlin? Now there is something that is honest and above board. :lol:

griph
07-30-2002, 01:46 PM
9. Microsoft has been instrumental in bringing computing to ordinary people

I really thought we gave that moniker to to Apple and the Macintosh. Oh yes, Microsoft stole that user interface, so I guess hats off to Microsoft. The idea of the GUI and mouse came from Xerox PARC. We've always laughed off Macintosh users because they couldn't "cope" with the PC environment (M$ operating systems included). The Most Joe User Friendly award has to go to Apple.



Both companies have been instrumental in bringing computing to ordinary people. Whilst MacIntosh may have had the better GUI they never realised good market share unlike Microsoft PC's that were cheap and therefore more available to 'ordinary' people (if there is such a thing).

Kirk Stephens
07-30-2002, 02:32 PM
Well I guess I'll go ahead and label myself a Microsoftie. But I have to say this, Isn't what Bill Gates has built the American dream? Can anyone honestly say that if they had the opportunity to build a company like MS that they wouldn't. Everytime I hear all the carping about MS and why they are Evil, the people doing the talking sound like old style communist demagogues to me. (You can use Encarta to look up demagogue, link below :wink: ) Lets see, they are Evil because: They are profitable, good at what they do, have become the standard, force others to improve their products (Palm, Novell, Netscape etc...), they founded a $24 Billion charity to help end disease in third world countires and found libraries in remote regions (Just to look good of course, all PR, who cares who it ACTUALLY helps), provide 50,000 people directly with jobs and untold millions more who indirectly have jobs because of them.

After writng this I now see the light, what was I thinking? Down with the Evil SOBs, hey while we are at it lets get rid of Intel as well! All Hail Linux and AMD, the righteous saviors of mankind!!! Oooh, while we are on the path to unshackling our proletariat brothers around the globe lets get rid of CocaCola, Pepsico, McDonalds, Nike, IBM, GE, HPaq, Dell, the entire Entertainment Industry, have I missed any big successful companies that are the bane of the "Righteous Man"? If so let me know and we can carve them up with the others and redistibute their undeserved wealth to all the lazy, unmotivated, leeches of society, :oops: uhmm, I mean poor oppressed masses who deserve their fair share, they've earned it after all by being born! Rant over; for now.
:twisted: :evil:

http://dictionary.msn.com/find/entry.asp?search=demagogue

I love the sarcasm. We are on the same page buddy :)

krisbrown
07-30-2002, 04:48 PM
I put it to you that the vast majority of people who have to use windows actually despise and fear it.
Everybody I know who isn't a geek like me is totally confused by the ludicrous amount of functions, buttons and mind boggling complexity of every feature outside of the desktop.
This is not the way software should be and OS's have a long way to go.
The computer has to evolve into a much, much simpler and intuitive device, Microsoft is the last company on earth capable of this.
The computer chip could deliver so much, but not while Microsoft have their greedy mitts on it.

Jason Dunn
07-30-2002, 05:30 PM
I put it to you that the vast majority of people who have to use windows actually despise and fear it.

And I put it to you that, for the first time in TEN YEARS of trying, I finally got my mother using a computer regularly and using email + web. Those results speak for themselves. :-) Windows XP is the easiest OS Microsoft has ever created for newbies.

Foo Fighter
07-30-2002, 05:40 PM
Windows XP is the easiest OS Microsoft has ever created for newbies.

I would agree with that. In fact, having used both OSX and XP for a long period of time, I believe Microsoft has finally beaten Apple in ease of use for new users. The decisive factor is that features in Windows are more clearly labeled than OSX. For example, "My Music"..."My Pictures". And the contextual side panel in folders that give the user access to functions that are normally buried away in right-click menus (Copy - Delete - Cut - Paste - Rename), and quick navigation to other folders.

That's not to say that OSX is difficult to use. Quite the contrary. But pound for pound....XP is easier for the technically challenged. Everyone I know (that uses a PC) LOVES XP.

Jonathan1
07-31-2002, 04:10 AM
Here’s my own little list…

10. Microsoft pushes its own agenda instead of pushing computer technology

9. Microsoft doesn't innovate they integrate. When they do innovate its usually through acquisition of XYZ tech through either buying the company that made it or just buying the product outright.

8. Microsoft's method of increasing profits is using its OS monopoly, Microsoft Office monopoly, and its growing reach in the server market to push its initiatives *coughs….NET…..coughs* Normal this isn’t a big deal. But when these initiatives are bundled in with their monopoly products the consumer has no choice but to accept it.

7. How many security holes have been successfully exploited in Microsoft's operating systems? How much have IT shops lost in productivity do to these holes? How much time do IT shops waist in applying patch after patch after patch after service pack to an OS? We’ll never really know will we?

6. How many virus were born from the openness of VB Script?

5. Microsoft’s idea of standards, or at least how they implement them, has a tendency to differ from the rest of the world.

4. For every dedicated employee at Microsoft that just wants to do a good job how many execs are there that don’t give a crap about good business practices and will do anything to increase profits.

3. I don’t know but there something I don’t like about that company.

2. One word…. Palladium. If you don’t know what that is search www.google.com with that word and Microsoft and read and be scared.

1. Bill Gates IS the anti-Christ.


MS has done some great things but don’t kid yourself. MS is about as saintly as Ozzy Osborne. I HATE Windows 9x, I love Windows 2000, I HATE Windows XP, I love my Sidewinder Force Feedback Pro 2, I hate .NET, I love my Pocket PC, I hate MS’s business practices, I love MapPoint with GPS, I HATE Microsoft’s security, I love their System Management Server.

Someone told me once that Microsoft is a marketing company that just happens to make software. Its SOOOOO true.

Ed Hansberry
07-31-2002, 04:11 AM
Here’s my own little list…

Ok, quit beating around the bush. Just come out and say what you mean Jonathan!

mchang
07-31-2002, 07:59 AM
It's very easy to be a Microsoft/Gates basher, that is true. I try as hard as I can to be objective, and the easiest way is to think of it this way: Bill Gates and Microsoft are hugely successful. Bill Gates is one hell of a businessman, and Microsoft puts out some pretty compelling products. They have amassed a huge fortune and have been good enough to give back to the community and charities around the world. It's easy to be jealous and blame him and his company for every injustice.

But taking off my rose-colored glasses for a second, I have to ask if Bill Gates and Microsoft have ever trundled upon a smaller company that posed "a threat" to their profitibility. Are all their decisions motivated by profit? Do they keep the goodwill of their customers in mind as they move technology forward? Have they thrown their weight around and taken unfair advantage of users, the market, and their competition?

I have to think that given the state of their monopoly, documented and otherwise, that Microsoft has committed some unsavory acts to keep atop the market. They have used their monopolies to force vendors and end users to purchase their products and have penalized those that would try to do otherwise.

It's wise to criticize and bring into question how people and companies have gotten to where they are. It is an essential part of the checks and balances that regulates the world of business.

mchang
07-31-2002, 08:04 AM
5. Microsoft’s idea of standards, or at least how they implement them, has a tendency to differ from the rest of the world.

2. One word…. Palladium. If you don’t know what that is search www.google.com with that word and Microsoft and read and be scared.

Someone told me once that Microsoft is a marketing company that just happens to make software. Its SOOOOO true.

I hear ya Jonathan. Standards are their to foster cooperation and possibly competition in the marketplace. Just take the Java/J++ debacle. C'mon, Microsoft. Play nice! I guess their just isn't a way to enforce the "play nice" motto in the business world.

Palladium is scary. Very scary. Couple that with the fact that RIAA is pushing a bill that will allow them to launch a denial of service attack against any P2P trader they find to be illegally trading files, we have every right to be frightened. Especially since the bill doesn't require them to ask permission from anyone to do this.

I just don't like it when everyone accuses me of being a thief by default.