> And if Microsoft products were really such crap then they would have gone bankrupt a long time
ago.
One of the major success factors for any product is licensing it freely.
If the Fraunhofer people hadn't let everybody use their MP3 compression algorithm free of charge,
MP3 players wouldn't have taken off like a rocket. Ipod sales would be but a fraction of what they
are today if iPods were using a proprietary Apple compression algorithm.
VCRs are another example. Back at the time they became affordable, there were three systems: VHS,
Betamax and Video2000. VHS wasn't superior. Quite the opposite. I think it was the poorest of the
three. But it was licensed freely and heaps of companies got a chance to make money licensing it.
Whereas Video2000 recorders were only built by 2 companies without further competition. This is the
only reason why VHS became the standard.
If Apple had licensed the Mac OS as freely as Microsoft has licensed DOS and Windows, I strongly
doubt that Windows would exist at all today. But Mac OS was bundled with Apple hardware sold at
Apple prices in special Apple shops that where fairly rare. As opposed to Windows, which you could
buy next door and put on many different brands of computers that were available next door, too.
Usually at a fraction of Apple's price. This situation develops an amazing momentum in a
surprisingly short time. Software will be written for the platform most people use. And because
there's more software, even more people will prefer this platform. Even today 9 out if 10 computer
CDs available in our well-stocked library will only work with Windows. Until quite recently this
meant Mac users were left out in the rain.
Just to save bandwith: Yes, I'm perfectly aware that the purchase price isn't everything. I'm
perfectly aware that a computer can cost twice as much as another computer and still be cheaper in
the long run because I can spend more time on getting my job done. But this isn't what most people
consider when purchasing. Most people buy what's cheaper. Either because they can't afford anything
else or because they want to save money.
Personally, I'm using the platform most suited for my problem. My main intention is getting a job
done the best I can in as little time as possible. If this can be done best using Linux, this is
what I'll use. If Windows can do it better, I'll use Windows. The same applies to Mac usage, Newton
usage, Palm usage and usage of all other devices.
If I were allowed only one computer, I'd probably choose a Mac. Mainly because it can run both
Windows and Linux, whereas my PC can't run Mac OS.
Frank
-- Newton software and hardware at http://www.pda-soft.de
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Received on Wed Oct 7 18:26:52 2009
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