Boston Linux & Unix (BLU) Home | Calendar | Mail Lists | List Archives | Desktop SIG | Hardware Hacking SIG
Wiki | Flickr | PicasaWeb | Video | Maps & Directions | Installfests | Keysignings
Linux Cafe | Meeting Notes | Blog | Linux Links | Bling | About BLU

BLU Discuss list archive


[Date Prev][Date Next][Thread Prev][Thread Next][Date Index][Thread Index]

Microsoft hits new ethical low point?



On 22 Feb 2001, at 13:52, John Whitfield wrote:

> It goes further than that.  Windows is an inconsistent platform largely
> BECAUSE it's a commercial product. 
I don't really agree with this analogy. I know other commercial platforms 
that were and are consistent.  
> 
> Of course, Microsoft has a plan for that too.  They want to move to a
> "software as service" model where you basically rent your software from year
> to year.  It's a good deal for them since it means that the money rolls in
> every year, whether they make any improvements or not.  It's less clear why
> this would be good for the consumers.
The software business models prior to the PC revolution was just this. 
You pay a license fee for the priviledge to use the software for a period of 
time. It also makes sense in a business environment. Strangely enough, 
Microsoft was one of the companies that developed the concept of shrink-
wrapped software. They would take a software product that would 
normally sell for hundreds of dollars, shrink wrap it and sell it for tens of 
dollars. In the consumer market, the software licensing (eg. rental) 
concept does not make any sense. The consumer goes to the store 
(mortar, mail order, online,...) and buys the widget. With that there is 
usually some kind of warrantee. 

FrontPage is an example where Vermiel was selling it for something like 
$800 a copy, and when Microsoft bought it, the price came down to $100 
or so. 
Jerry Feldman <gaf at blu.org>
Associate Director
Boston Linux and Unix user group
http://www.blu.org
-
Subcription/unsubscription/info requests: send e-mail with
"subscribe", "unsubscribe", or "info" on the first line of the
message body to discuss-request at blu.org (Subject line is ignored).




BLU is a member of BostonUserGroups
BLU is a member of BostonUserGroups
We also thank MIT for the use of their facilities.

Valid HTML 4.01! Valid CSS!



Boston Linux & Unix / webmaster@blu.org