[Greg]

Just goes to show you what "P.T. Barnum Bill" will do to "stay on top"..

What a slimeball geek!

http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/business/3488186.stm

Greg

 

[guest]

but if it were not for microsoft.. we'd be using typewrites and adding machines still...



but as a competitor.. they are pretty viscious

 

[Greg]

And if it weren't for Apple MacIntosh, you would all still be using DOS!!! LOL

Ever had to buy a "new version" of a Microsoft product in order to get the the bug fixes to the previous version? Been there...Done that.

Greg

 

[guest]

Originally posted by Greg

Ever had to buy a "new version" of a Microsoft product in order to get the the bug fixes to the previous version?
Greg

Yeah.. about every 2 or 3 years...

Wasn't the guy from apples originally from microsoft? or was it the other way?

Gotto give them credit.. they have gobbled up all sorts of applications and bundled them into their product..


downloadin

 

[Greg]

Steve Wozinak(sp?) and Steve Jobs started Apple in "Woz's" garage.

Uncle Bill didn't even write the original DOS. He bought it from a guy here in Seattle for like $15,000 and then convinced IBM he had the greatest program and got them to sign on the bottom line. Then they rushed to make it work close to the way Bill promised them it already did. Same with Word, Outlook and many others.

Most of thier programs, and Windoze, are still so full of holes they're a hackers delight, especially Outlook.

Greg

 

[Spike]

Well

I like Bill and MSFT.

 

[dougand3]

There was a movie awhile back called "Pirates of Silicon Valley" about Steve Jobs and Bill Gates...it was interesting but I don't know how accurate it was.

 

[Argee]

Say what you will, but ol' Bill Gates has brought the computer revolution a long way forward.

 

[MowHoward2210]

Originally posted by Argee
Say what you will, but ol' Bill Gates has brought the computer revolution a long way forward.

Huh?? I thought is was Al Gore. :what101:

 

[Argee]

Originally posted by MowHoward2210
Huh?? I thought is was Al Gore. :what101:

No, Al Gore invented the internet:lmao:

 

[johnray13]

He also endorsed Howard Dean. Was that the kiss of death?

 

[memmurphy]

Japan is exprienced in reinventing and improving American technology. Then selling their products back to us at reduced cost and putting the American originators out of business. In a way it was a dose of their (Japan's) own medicine.:truth:

Mark

 

[Greg]

memmurphy,

This is what Microsoft tried to pull and got caught:

"Microsoft is accused of making companies such as NEC, Hitachi and Sony, who want to pre-install its Windows software on their computers, sign away their right to sue, even if they find Microsoft has used their patent technology."

Making your customers sign a contract saying "if you want our product, fine, as long as you contractually agree you can't sue us even if we ignore your rights and gain from the use of your patented technology." Would you sign it? You just might have to, initially, as MS has you by the "jewels".

Re-inventing and and improving others' technology, without infringing on legal patents is another matter. If a foreign company violates US patents, they get stopped, as best as possible. The same happens if a US company infringes on a foreign company's patents, and rightfully so.

The point in this case is MS's long standing arrogant policy and practice to bypass legal and moral business laws for their sole benefit at the expense of their customers.

Thank goodness for Linux...the next 3 - 5 years is going to be interesting.

Greg

 

[memmurphy]

Originally posted by Greg

The point in this case is MS's long standing arrogant policy and practice to bypass legal and moral business laws for their sole benefit at the expense of their customers.

Thank goodness for Linux...the next 3 - 5 years is going to be interesting.

Greg

I agree, it is for that reason that I have been trying to ween myself away from their products and use alternatives. Slowly it is becoming easier to do so for the home user. The software for my weather station now has a Linux version available and I notice more of the after market vendors have Linux and Mac versions available. It will be harder though for businesses to make the change. For example, where I work all the parts pricing databases and service manuals to maintain warranty authorization require the latest version of Windows and IE. Sony Electronics is one of them. Of course every time a company has to update their systems that is passed on to customers.
I always feel that people who accumulate the amount of wealth that BG and others have must be doing something ethically and morally underhanded along with pushing and/or exceeding the limits of legality. The US income tax structure alone would seem to prevent it for a person working on the level. I have thoroughly enjoyed seeing some of them led into a police car with handcuffs on the news lately. But there is still many more yet to go. I'm afraid prosecution will do little to deter that type of activity considering the typical egos of the people involved. They think they are either above the law or too smart to be caught. The loss of income when customers balk they might understand.

Mark