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 4)

Dr Guy

on Mar 24, 2007

Windows is only available on one platform anyway.

Uh, no. Still on 3. Not for long, but you do lose.

TheD2JBug

on Mar 24, 2007

didn't some clone makers ship BeOS with their PowerPC clones?

Dr Guy

on Mar 24, 2007

Quoted from WWW Link

No wonder not anyone believes Wiki any more. Close, but no cigar. Apple blew it, but long before 96. I just cant understand why people cant read history.

Leauki

on Mar 24, 2007

"didn't some clone makers ship BeOS with their PowerPC clones?"

Yes, on an extra CD but not pre-installed. Apple, like Microsoft, had arrangements with OEMs that didn't allow them to install a dual-boot system.

BeOS was available as a CD (rather 2 CDs if I recall correctly) with some PowerPC and x86 systems, but never as a dual-boot system. The user had to install BeOS (and re-install Mac OS or Windows) himself.

messiah1

on Mar 24, 2007

he, he, ALF. Loved that show.

Jafo

on Mar 24, 2007

My UMAX S900 Mac clone which I bought to run BeOS came with Mac OS 8.

That doesn't belie Larry's statement...as there's no indication that OS8 was natively installed by the vendor [and thus OEM licenced]...

Astyanax

on Mar 24, 2007

My response, as always, will be minimal. If you enjoy using Windows, then use Windows. If you enjoy using a Mac, then use a Mac. As long as you enjoy yourself what's it matter what others think?

Very true, BUT:

Lets face it, the only reason Apple is around is due to the iPod. They are their own worst enemy, charging nearly double what a PC would go for and its now LITERALLY the same hardware, they make you buy their hardware ONLY and their Windows equivalant Service Packs they also charge for.
Yeah sure, I've heard all the arguements, OS X IS VIRUS FREE! Please... anyone who know's anything about the OS knows that it has more holes in it than swiss cheese. No one wants to hack it because its worthless, people that hack PC's do it for the ego boost and lets face it the guy saying "I TOOK DOWN MICROSOFT.COM!!!" vs. "I TOOK DOWN APPLE.COM" - The guy who took down MS is going to get ALOT more attention than the guy who took down Apple.

Theirs also the gaming arguement. I can't even begin to count how many times I've heard OS X users now saying they can game on OS X by using Boot Camp to run XP!!! Wait a second.... WHAT??? They hate Windows so badly that the first thing they do is fire up Boot Camp and run XP? Whoa guys, a little hypocracy there? Some even had the nerve to argue that its not even a form of emulation, hahaha, man I guess owning a Mac does make you feel cool, you're in your own dream world so why couldn't you be the cool guy?

I have said it before and I'll say it again, calling Apple a competitor of Microsoft is like spitting in someones face. Apple is like a Fly on the back of an elephants ass, and no matter what it will do it'll never change.

EDIT:
A message to OS X users; Your right to bash Microsoft has been revoked. You will gain the right to bash MS once Apple actually codes its own kernal.

Pretty sad, they had to get a Unix kernal just to get an OS that wouldn't whipe your hard disk clean every other month. (GO GO GO OS X 9!!!!)

Edwin724

on Mar 24, 2007

Nice. You went straight to your point. Well said.

cactoblasta

on Mar 24, 2007

Wow, you're an angry little tacker Asty! So much spite for what is, after all, just a company that makes pretty white boxes full of circuits and flashing lights.

There's no need to take it so personally with spontaneous CAPITALISATION and rather concerning use of multiple exclamation marks (which is incidentally a sure sign of encroaching mental illness, so you might want to head off to a friendly local GP to have a check-up).

I think you need to have a bit of a lie-down and relax. After all, we're not exactly talking 'the team from my city is superior to the team from your city' stuff here.

Let's just try and accept that every company in the history of the world likes monopolies. It's the most efficient way to extract cash from customers, so they're all going to be trying to get it. Apple's no better than Microsoft, sure, but even if you got rid of both of them there'd be someone else trying to corner the market.

At least Apple gives us shiny computers and Microsoft gives us the Gates Foundation and very pricey but very good software.

Jafo

on Mar 24, 2007

After all, we're not exactly talking 'the team from my city is superior to the team from your city' stuff here.

We aren't?

Dang.....

MasonM

on Mar 24, 2007

Mason,

I'm referring to the "plug and play" functionality where you can take it out of the box and be up and running with very little prerequisite knowledge. Linux is easy enough to handle, but it's not the system "your grandma could use".

Yeah, you're right. It's not like you have to install any drivers for new hardware or anything in Windows.

Nadeon

on Mar 24, 2007

OMG Gid, I can't believe you took this shot! I think every uber geek web site from Tomshardware to Tech ARP has fought this fight.

But boy the flash backs in the replies! Remember Dr. DOS? Anyone remember VLB video cards?

Ya know just as a street level observation Apple just went after the wrong markets. Having so many kids (other topics) I spent a lot of time in schools. Apple targeted Elementary through High Schools. They never went after Colleges beyond Art and Graphic Design departments. And they never seriously went after business. Now before I'm flamed, let me reiterate, these are street level observations, not statistical analysis. I remember in the late 80's and early 90's noticing that High School offices were dumping their Macs and moving toward IBM PS2s. When I inquired as to why, most secretaries response was pretty much universal; "there are no real apple business programs" or "Apples are for design or entertainment".

I guess Apple's philosphy was if they indoctrinated the kids, kids would want Apples at home. And they did for a time, until the kids went to college where they and their professors realized business was favoring IBM Compatible (PCs for those of you too young to remember the PS1 and 2 series from IBM). Ergo, unless you were an Art major, you'd better get familiar with a PC pronto. And it trickled down from there. My youngest kids Elementary Schools dumped Apple about 5 years ago and redid their computer lab with Dell PCs.

The real turning point was when PC Graphics came of age. New chipsets propelled the game and design markets. That was the real end of Apple. But the bottom line is Interoperability. If I can't open a spreadsheet from my Hong Kong manufacurer because I use a different system, we don't do business well. One of us has to change. And I'm going to change to what the majority is using, so we can do business. I'm sorry Apple people, but running MS programs on a Mac isn't having an Apple, it's a virtual PC running Microsoft products.

scorpNZ

on Mar 24, 2007

Apple does'nt need to supply anyone else with rights to make their gear and why should they and what on earth makes you think they should ???..lmao,it was HP,DELL,IBM etc that signed up to microsofts idea of an industry standard that made pc's what they are today it could've quite easily have been different with all the comp manufacturers doing their own thing and at one time they were,next thing you'll be asking is why burger king can't be lisenced to make big macs.

MasonM

on Mar 24, 2007

So much for Suse. Too much automatic stuff I didn't like, back to good old Slackware for me.

As for the whole Mac vs Micro$oft thing (just to get back on topic) I don't care for either one. While Mac is a bit less buggy than Windows, it still limits the user far too much for my tastes.

I saw a great quote on bash.org the other day that gave me a great chuckle. It was basically "The hardest part about buying a Macbook is telling your parents you're gay".

I know, crude and inappropriate, and all that, but it was still funny.

Gideon MacLeish

on Mar 24, 2007

Let's just try and accept that every company in the history of the world likes monopolies. It's the most efficient way to extract cash from customers, so they're all going to be trying to get it. Apple's no better than Microsoft, sure, but even if you got rid of both of them there'd be someone else trying to corner the market.

gotta give you an insightful on that one, cacto.

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