FreeLists / arachne / [arachne] Re: DOS only or?

["Samuel W. Heywood" <sheywood@xxxxxxxxxxx>]

Arachne at FreeLists---The Arachne Fan Club!


On Tue, 2008-05-06 at 07:56 -0400, ewalt@xxxxxxxx wrote:
> Arachne at FreeLists---The Arachne Fan Club!
> 
> Jason said:
> 
> 
> >. You suddenly have HW that is no longer supported.
> 
> My friend had to buy a new printer to go with his new
> Vista computer. His almost new H/P, perfectly fine printer
> was not supported by Vista. No drivers that he could find.
> 
> 
> 
> > 4.  Vista runs soooo much slower on same hw than xp.
> 
> 
> But, of course. Microsoft "Upgrades" always run slower on
> existing hw. Almost no endusers actually make a decision to
> purchase Windows. It comes with the newer, faster computer that
> you need to run the current flavor.
> 
> Microsoft makes its money mostly from the manufacturers when a
> consumer buys a new computer. It's the "Microsoft tax" and you
> have to work hard to buy a computer without paying it.--

There used to be some retailers of computers, Wal-Mart was one of 
them, that would offer their customers at a considerable discount 
a new computer without an operating system installed.

I don't know if nowadays there are any retailers of modern computers 
which are still offering such special deals for all the customers 
who are seeking to avoid the Micro$oft tax.

BTW, the contract arrangements between Micro$oft and computer 
manufacturers and retailers, whereby they are required to charge 
the Micro$oft tax to all of the end users, seem to me to be 
very serious violations of the anti-monopoly laws and many other 
anti-corporate corruption laws designed to protect American 
industry from unfair competition and to protect consumers from 
illegal price-fixing rip-off schemes.

I know that other kinds of industries are prohibited by law from 
engaging in the same kind of shenanigans that Micro$oft is permitted 
to get away with.  How does Micro$oft get away with it?  Maybe 
the answer to that question has to do with the government's 
reluctance to prosecute the bustards because Micro$oft apparently 
has the power to hold the government hostage due to the 
government's addiction to Micro$oft operating systems and software 
products.  Government needs to liberate itself from its dependency 
on Micro$oft. 

Sam Heywood   


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