Microsoft hits new ethical low point?

[ron.peterson at yellowbank.com (Ron Peterson)]

Michael Bilow wrote:
> 
> This is absolutely amazing:
> 
>    Redmond, Washington, Feb. 14 (Bloomberg) -- Microsoft Corp.'s Windows
>    operating-system chief, Jim Allchin, says that freely distributed
>    software code such as rival Linux could stifle innovation and that
>    legislators need to understand the threat.

Amazing indeed.

Sounds like Microsoft doesn't like playing a game where they can't write
the rules.  What really puzzles me the most is whether or not Jim
Allchin and his ilk really believe their own balderdash.  Is he just
being the good Machiavellian, and launching a jihad on behalf of his
company's shareholders, or is he really that thickheaded?!

Do the numbers matter _that much_ to these people?!  How many _billions_
do they have to rake in before they're sated?!  Sadly, though, I
personally believe that's what's happening.  The Rolling Stones don't
(didn't?) compare themselves to the town marching band, they compare
themselves to the Beatles.  Sophmoric as it may be, for some people,
it's all relative.  That's the most generous way I can think of to
interpret such behaviour.  (I certainly don't mean to tarnish the
Rolling Stones with this analogy...)

I'm worried that this whole IP issue will make unlikely allies of other
Big Corporations who may be hurt by this whole mindshift.  The enemy of
my enemy is my friend kind of thing.

It doesn't help matters to have a new assistant attorney general in the
Justice Department's antitrust division (Charles James) who's
understanding of the electronic age can be seen in statements like this:

"The one thing that is very clear is that consumers have benefited by
there being a common platform,"

"If Microsoft were to be broken up, you would see divergence of the
common platform and it's unclear that you would have as vigorous a
competitive market...,"

-Ron-
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