Microsoft behind $12 million payment to Opera

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Yesterday and today

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Six to ten years ago I used to praise MS and BillG for bringing personal computing to the many. I saw his efforts and success as a democratizing influence in a world that had been dominated by IBM mainframes and centralized (i.e. totalitarian) IT organizations.
...
In case you've failed to notice, the principal democratizing influence (not to say competition) in personal computing is now provided by Linux and the Open Source movement, and is (news flash!) opposed by MS.


Your first statement shows you agree with me on every point I made in my post.

The second statement asserts that Microsoft has been displaced as the "principal democratizing influence" by Linux and the Open source movement.
I didn't discuss the current situation.

Let's take a look at the limited issue of which operating system is more user friendly, Windows or Linux, name your distribution. User friendly is what got Microsoft where it is.

Despite advances, Linux is still considered to be a bit less user friendly than Windows by reviewers. I'll take the word of reviewers over my own impression because the reviewer was selected because of (supposedly) greater expertise in the area of concern, in this case how well the user is wrapped in a coccoon of warmth and comfort by the operating system.

In addition, Linux is emulating Windows in the approach to the user experience. This is understandable as a way to make switching easier, but makes it unlikely that Linux has made a significant breakthrough in ease of use.

So, advantage Microsoft, albeit a decreasing advantage.


Now, your list of the ways in which Microsoft maintains its advantage in popularity is more a set of accusations than an analysis. Some of the items you name can as easily be turned into consumer advantages.

For example, I expect "predatory bundling" can be translated into incorporating new functionality into the operating system for the enjoyment and convenience of both users and developers.

And the lag in IE development and features allows greater freedom to users by allowing them to add only those features the user chooses through the addition of (free) third party software. Why should I download a product like Mozilla when I will turn off almost all the additional features, but I can customize IE with a few small add-ons to give me only and exactly what I want?


Microsoft has used some sharp business tactics which they're now paying for. Those I won't try to defend.
However, I suspect this Opera deal is because they've figured out the cost of lawyers for the case would be $15 million. A settlement is cheaper and quieter.

Posted by: Anton Philidor   Posted on: 05/24/04 You are currently: a Guest | Members login | Terms of Use

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