EU voices concerns over Microsoft's Vista

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Re: because europe doesn't understand a free market

Most people don't understand a free market, most especially those who talk a lot about it.

A truly free market is Caveat Emptor "Let the buyer beware". This idea held sway in Europe and the United States up through the mid 1900's.

The idea of social responsibility, despite the best efforts of the Conservatives, holds that everyone, including the corporations must be held to a certain degree of accountability. This is especially true in Microsoft's case, who holds a huge majority of the desktop environment. The vast majority of Microsoft users are not technical, and do not have the resources to go to an alternative operating system or even an alternative browser. Thus, the government steps in to protect the people's interests. In both the United States and Europe, there have been governmental beurocracies to act as omsbudsmen for the common people, as consumer advocates, if you will.

The car analogy is not a good one, as people can always go and buy another brand of car. Witness the US vs Japanese car industry. The Microsoft monopoly is more like if a company, Air, Inc. had patented air(TM), and charged everybody to use it. Sure, if you are technically competent and don't mind bending a few rules, you can hack air(TM) by combining oxygen and nitrogen, storing it in a tank and breathing it through a mask. And Air, Inc. would do an RIAAA on you and take you to court, especially if you lent your air to someboy else. But, a kinder, gentler governmental organization has stepped in and said 'heh, you can't do that', and protected the people from Air, Inc.

Oh, and Apple doesn't count. :()

David

Posted by: chinese.bookie   Posted on: 10/13/06 You are currently: a Guest | Members login | Terms of Use

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