Re: Pirates of Silicon Valley

[fortran@earthlink.net (Edward Franks)]

My glass typewriter shows R. Tang typing...
> In article <gU5e3.107$cE6.2202@client>,
> Steve Mentzer <!smentzer@ecom.net> wrote:
> >As far as Microsoft "forcing upgrades". That is simply not true. 
> 
> 	This has been MAJORLY true up until Office 2000.
> 
> 	Try reading an Office 97 document with an earlier version of the
> software.

	Try reading a WordPerfect 8.0 document with WordPerfect 4.2.  Try 
reading a Lotus 1-2-3 3.0 spreadsheet with Lotus 1-2-3 Release 1A.  Try 
reading a dBase IV database with dBase III+.  Try running a native 
PowerPC Mac app on the original Mac.  Try running an Apple //GS program 
on an Apple ][+.

	Every one has added features to their file formats that aren't 
backward compatible.  To single out Microsoft on this issue is ludicrous 
(unless people are going to complain about every company).

	There may be other things Microsoft tries to do to force upgrades, 
but this issue (file format changes) isn't one of them.

-- 

Fortran Dragon -==(UDIC)==-
Hidalgo Trading Company: <http://home.earthlink.net/~fortran/>
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