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You are not particuarly well informed
First, Microsoft did not copy, buy or steal all of their technology...at least no more so than any other company. Take MTS for example. Microsoft Transaction Services was built in house and was widely emulated by the Java app server builders. COM was a significant innovation. Even when it comes to browsers, MS took an existing set of technologies (Mosaic)that was VERY basic and did a lot of innovation. DHTML is one example.

All technology is built on what happened in the past. I laugh when I hear about Apple inventing the GUI. We all know that's BS b/c they (to use your words) "stole" it from Xerox PARC. I see if differently. Apple created some cool innovations in GUI that was based on the work Xerox did. No stealing. Just good work based on stuff they learned from others. Microsoft's biggest innovation in many respects is their approach to integration. Some don't like it. Fine. But the idea of building a suite of productivity applications (i.e. Office) that integrates well turned out to be a great idea that is widely copied. Look at OpenOffice. I have it on my desktop. OpenOffice liberally borrowed from the integration ideas that MS delivered 10 years ago.

In terms of MS losing accounts right and left...you're deluded. Linux is a great competitor for MS. Linux is growing in market share. In some cases, Linux is taking away business from Microsoft. But in many more cases, Linux is taking market share away from other Unix vendors. Look at the data.

Tell you what. The day that MS is a US only company, I'll buy you and 10,000 of your best friends dinner at a restaurant of your choice. Heck, I'll buy you all tickets to the Super Bowl. You're right in only one very limited respect. When you are company with 90% marketshare you're bound to lose some of it. Fair enough. But if you think Microsoft is going to somehow fade away you're smoking crack.
Posted by: marksashton   Posted on: 01/15/04 You are currently: a Guest | Members login | Terms of Use
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Just give us ten more years! Only ten more years!  SloooeShflu | 01/15/04
Software isn't a car and it won't take 10 years  marksashton | 01/15/04
why shoudl it be that complex?  ryusen | 01/15/04
Windows is increasingly modular  marksashton | 01/15/04
Clustering ... problems of Linux...  michael-t | 01/15/04
Better cluster example  Robert Crocker | 01/16/04
Try eComStation  Update victim | 01/16/04
um...  ryusen | 01/16/04
The Fix is IN with Longhorn  Aphelion | 01/15/04
Good post Aph!  SloooeShflu | 01/15/04
NOOOO!!!!! The Fix is AFTER Longhorn!  Hard Cider | 01/18/04
Moon landings and airliners  michael-t | 01/15/04
The Principle remains  Update victim | 01/16/04
I agree with you 158%  Hard Cider | 01/18/04
An airliner is an even tougher case...  mds_z | 01/21/04
It's hard to say....  Heatlesssun | 01/15/04
problems  ryusen | 01/16/04
Pretty pathetic effort  Chad_z | 01/15/04
Customers are better off today than they were a year ago  toomuchgreeatea@... | 01/15/04
Smoke and Mirrors  issthatso | 01/16/04
Well, some of them are.  Immanuel Tranz-Mischen | 01/17/04
customers were better off 5yrs ago than they are today  stephen732@... | 01/18/04
Love 'em or hate 'em but MS EVENTUALLY get sit right  marksashton | 01/15/04
Umm, what have they EVER gotten right?!  SloooeShflu | 01/15/04
You are not particuarly well informed  marksashton | 01/15/04
you're the expert  stephen732@... | 01/15/04
Of course he is, he's a shill  SloooeShflu | 01/16/04
Marky Mark? That's intelligent....  marksashton | 01/16/04
A few patent infringgement cases?!  SloooeShflu | 01/16/04
OK  SloooeShflu | 01/16/04
Just a matter of time  ITGuy04 | 01/16/04
apples and microsfots  ryusen | 01/16/04
Version 3 Mantra is Urban Myth  Fred Fredrickson | 01/15/04
You're not being accurate or fair  marksashton | 01/15/04
That's your opinion  Fred Fredrickson | 01/16/04
One successful product?  marksashton | 01/16/04
please stop smoking crack! ...i can't stop laughing  stephen732@... | 01/17/04
NT Was NOT BEST.  ITGuy04 | 01/16/04
Have you ever used anything else?  Update victim | 01/16/04
Warp? Really?  wgrobinson@... | 01/18/04
my opinions...  ryusen | 01/16/04
HAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHA  MarcB_z | 01/16/04
what are they talking about?  JWatson77 | 01/15/04
Ever get the feeling...  matt@... | 01/15/04
If I'm not mistaken...  rapson | 01/15/04
In any event Microsoft IS a monopolist  SloooeShflu | 01/16/04
Let's say you're not ...  Still Lynn | 01/18/04
Microsoft is a joke...  gtdworak | 01/15/04
Your post is a joke if you actually believe what you wrote  marksashton | 01/15/04
Unilateral knowledge  michael-t | 01/15/04
Actually yes  marksashton | 01/16/04
Unix is a different creature  michael-t | 01/16/04
I'm No Kernel Programmer ... But I'll Bite.  jjworleyeoe | 01/16/04
Clash of perspectives yields conflicts, not dialogue  Still Lynn | 01/18/04
long-winded  Immanuel Tranz-Mischen | 01/18/04
Macintosh compared to Windows  chrismac | 01/17/04
It's not that simple.  Immanuel Tranz-Mischen | 01/18/04
lies and lies..  M_c | 01/16/04
There's a lot more to trust than security holes!!!  xunil skcor | 01/16/04
The Payoff (in a related story...)  MarcB_z | 01/16/04
Payoff  bit_rot | 01/16/04
Non-MS users passing judgement???  No_Ax_to_Grind | 01/16/04
You seem very up to date on linux Bitty  SloooeShflu | 01/16/04
I use Linux.  No_Ax_to_Grind | 01/16/04
So what's the fuss then???  SloooeShflu | 01/16/04
Most people use both platforms...  BitTwiddler | 01/16/04
We don't say we don't use it, we just don't LIKE using it  MarcB_z | 01/16/04
Then get a new job.  No_Ax_to_Grind | 01/16/04
Easy...  Patrick Jones | 01/16/04
Are you still trying to milk that bull?  B.O.F.H. | 01/16/04
Wake the f up.  Immanuel Tranz-Mischen | 01/17/04
Non-MS users are affected by MS security  tic swayback | 01/16/04
So, you are a Mac shop yet Windows gets hit...  Confused by religion | 01/16/04
You misunderstood  tic swayback | 01/17/04
Her problem...  Immanuel Tranz-Mischen | 01/17/04
that leaves me out...  ryusen | 01/16/04
Trustworthy Computing = Low Quality MS Product Lock-in  brenthawkinsmd | 01/16/04
Microsoft admits....  mal_adjusted | 01/16/04
ACTIVEX biggest hole for consumers  Nullifidian | 01/16/04
Patching pain  jasonp@... | 01/16/04
Heck yes!  bhanes@... | 01/16/04
Of Course It Has ... Unless You're a ABM'r  jjworleyeoe | 01/16/04
Comparing apples to apples  Still Lynn | 01/18/04
Being an MCSE  MuffinMan_z | 01/17/04
Brain dead or lunar?  dark_stream | 01/26/04
you are joking  lotta_anger | 01/17/04
What else is new  dark_stream | 01/26/04

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