And you call MICROSOFT a Monopoly?

Published on March 23, 2007 By Gideon MacLeish In Personal Computing

I am sick to death of Mac snobs. In variably in any discussion with Mac fanbois, they will cry about Microsoft being a monopoly.

Yeah, uh huh. Keep crying because your computer manufacturer was insanely stupid. The computer company that really brought the idea of upgradeability to personal computing, now puts out boxes that can't be upgraded. The computer company that started serious work on GUI, yet didn't have the foresight to protect it so that Microsoft could use it to create competing operating systems.

But, see, that's only the tip of the iceberg. If you look back at the monopolies that started antitrust legislation, they controlled the suppliers of raw goods, the manufaturing plants, the distribution plants. Basically they controlled costs because all of their suppliers belonged to them.

That doesn't sound like Microsoft, it sounds like Apple.

Quick. Name me three major PC manufacturers. Even the brain dead could come up with HP, Gateway, and Dell. Now, name me three major Mac manufacturers. Apple. (crickets chirp).

Ok, ok, so maybe that wasn't completely fair. Walk into the computer store and ask for a new video card for your iMac (will you crickets STOP that d*** chirping?!?)

Maybe I've given you guys a bum rap. Why don't you just give me the URL of a supplier where I can buy Mac OS/10 to install on my PC (ok, that cricket chirping is getting SERIOUSLY annoying!!!!)

Microsoft may be annoying. Microsoft may engage in less than perfect business practices. But Microsoft is an O/S, they have nothing to do with the BUILDING of my computer, and they don't lock the system from upgrades. I can buy components off the shelf to build a PC, and honestly, the choice of whether to install Windows on that computer is entirely mine. Nobody forced me to do it. I CAN pick from several Linux distros. Yes, I might have to work harder to install them and make them functional, but that's part of exercising choice.

Those choices aren't widely available on a Mac. If Microsoft is the Devil, then Apple is certainly the devil's wetnurse, the evil she demon of an O/S and OEM monopoly combined. But since Mac has a piddly share of the market, nobody seems to give a rat's heinie.

Comments (Page 2)

Jafo

on Mar 23, 2007

If Mac put out an O/S that ran on a PC, I'd honestly give it a look. But they don't so I won't be touching Macs anytime soon!

I agree whole-heartedly.

My issue is with this myopic restriction of hardware....clearly due to the OS's inability to cope with differences even as well as the MS OS's do/don't.

People complain about not being able to buy a PC without an MS OS installed....that's sheer bull....anyone can build his own, anyway....but think about not being able to buy [and then run] an OS UNLESS you also buy a specific brand of hardware....that's so draconian it's bordering on 'evil'....

Gideon MacLeish

on Mar 23, 2007

I agree...and I haven't tried it, but I'd bet if you talked with the "big boxes", you could probably have your computer shipped without the O/S.

And you could always strip the O/S. While I don't specifically endorse it, I don't think you'd have a hard time finding a buyer for that key.

I'm getting enough requests for builds that I'm seriously taking a look at software bundles. I'm not ready to build a Linux machine for someone unless I know they're ready for it, but I certainly would consider it, if the price was right.

boss0190

on Mar 23, 2007

These kinds of blogs are nothing but an excuse to get a fight started. Useless crap meant to give people a way to spout their "right" view at someone else's "wrong" view about things that most people who have a brain wouldn't waste their time on.

Gideon MacLeish

on Mar 23, 2007

boss,

No, my purpose in writing this had nothing to do with "getting a fight started". I was offering my view, plain and simple.

And my point is: Yes, MS is a pain in the keester. But they hardly have a monopoly on that. Mac denies you hardware choices, and Linux denies you the "full package" that both offer (although they are narrowing the gap). Mac has enough weaknesses that they really don't have a superior platform on which to stand.

BuddhaV10

on Mar 23, 2007

ah well, time to go back to DOS, hey does anyone know if i can skin that? maybe some colored text? maybe i could just not plug my video cable in all the way so everything is blue?

ParaTed2k

on Mar 23, 2007

Wozniac to Jobs: Hey, let's invent a home computer system that will revolutionize the industry.

Jobs: Cool idea, then let's limit access to our product and software.

Wozniac: Wow, what a cool business model... I bet we could get like, 13% of the market share doing that.

Jobs: 13% WOWEE! Who could possibly top that!

Gates: Hey guys, I couldn't help but overhear you, I think that is a great idea... you really should go for it. Oh btw, can you tell me about GUIs and Upgrades again? (Evil Grin)

Gideon MacLeish

on Mar 23, 2007

ah well, time to go back to DOS, hey does anyone know if i can skin that? maybe some colored text? maybe i could just not plug my video cable in all the way so everything is blue?

OK, that gave me my best laugh all night. That's just hilarious. I may have to use the U/N "DOS_Skinner" in the future...lol

Gideon MacLeish

on Mar 23, 2007

LOL

Jafo

on Mar 23, 2007

hey does anyone know if i can skin that? maybe some colored text?

Jafo was a sad bastard who used ASCII codes to 'skin' the Dos prompt....

on Mar 24, 2007

I did it too.

I was win 3.11/dos user too. 95% dos. Windows was to play card game and other windows-only games.

ParaTed2k

on Mar 24, 2007

10 ? "You Can Skin in DOS. T/F";
20 If 10="T" then goto 30 else gosub 100
30 ? "You are using DOS in Text Graphics mode, select an Alphanumeric on your keyboard now"
40 Blah, Blah, Blah

100 ? "Of course you can't skin in DOS you idiot, what do you think this is an Apple 2e?"

Causing any basic and DOS flashbacks for anyone? ;~D

cactoblasta

on Mar 24, 2007

Ok, ok, so maybe that wasn't completely fair. Walk into the computer store and ask for a new video card for your iMac (will you crickets STOP that d*** chirping?!?)

Depending on the model you can actually get different video cards. There's no guarantee of compatibility unless you buy from a mac store, but the option's there.

Maybe I've given you guys a bum rap. Why don't you just give me the URL of a supplier where I can buy Mac OS/10 to install on my PC (ok, that cricket chirping is getting SERIOUSLY annoying!!!!)

Can you give me the URL of a supplier where I can buy Windows XP to install on my oldschool iBook? Let's face it, Windows is only available on one platform anyway.

Apple doesn't force you to use Mac OS X either. You can use Linux or Windows if your heart desires. But if you want to use OS X you have to use it on the platform that supports it - an Apple. There's lots of good reasons for that, but I think the one most users will recognise is that hardware lock-in allows for much smoother usage.

Apples are made to 'just work'. And most of the time they do. That's the advantage of having a closed hardware line and why they don't pollute their brand by allowing anyone to use it and fail with it. By keeping it to themselves they make it hard for fuck-ups to make them look bad. They don't have to support every machine in existence and therefore be responsible when things don't work.

I don't think there's anything wrong with that approach to be honest. 13% of the market is still pretty profitable.

Jafo

on Mar 24, 2007

they make it hard for fuck-ups to make them look bad.

Not when they come out with those Ads....that smarmy, chinless wonder of a dork representing Mac Users....self-deprecating at best.....

cactoblasta

on Mar 24, 2007

Not when they come out with those Ads....that smarmy, chinless wonder of a dork representing Mac Users....self-deprecating at best..

Yeah, not exactly one of their best. But I've always thought it was utterly impossible for a computer to be advertised well. I mean has there ever been TV advertising for a computer of any sort that isn't retarded, hopelessly technical or ridiculously patronising? It's enough to think the industry is under a gypsy curse of marketing awkwardness.

Gideon MacLeish

on Mar 24, 2007

Let's face it, Windows is only available on one platform anyway.

One platform with MULTIPLE manufacturers, cacto. That's the difference.

Anyone who knows me knows I am not an MS fanboi. When Vista Ultimate costs as much as a damn low end computer, that's nuts. But in the case of Mac, everything that is true of Windows is true of it...PLUS you have to buy the hardware to match...hardware that THEY manufacture!

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