Re: A Tale of Two Apples

[pubpc1@library.ucla.edu]

B.J. Major wrote:
> Mitchell Spector <spec@vax2.concordia.ca> wrote:
> >     It should be interested to see how you react over the next few
> > months, as Microsoft becomes more of an influence on Apple Computer
> > as a direct result of the deal. You will no longer be able to hide
> > in your "Microsoft-free" uptopia. The whole concept of the Macintosh
> > being a Microsoft free zone has been totally shattered if you haven't
> > noticed. Already Microsoft Explorer is now the default web-browser
> > the Macintosh will install in System Software. :)
> 
> Your information is not totally accurate.  Athough Apple will ship MIE
> with new versions of System software and it *may* be the "default" one,
> Netscape will still also be on there for installing as well.  Although
> MS does not believe in choice, Apple still gives people a choice of what
> to install (or uninstall as the case may be).  And even if it were not,
> no one is going to tell me which browser I have to use!

Exactly. But understand that's true for PC machines also.

Even though Explorer ships with PCs, I _prefer_ Netscape because it
is superior.  I agree with you on this.  I just do not agree when
you lump PC users as automatic Microsoft supporters.  I'm not.

> 
> Further, I am not "hiding" in an MS free utopia.  I am MS free of my own
> free choosing.  Applications (and OSs for that matter) exist that are
> superior to theirs and use much less memory to boot.  Considering how
> that company does business, I consider myself fortunate that I can be MS
> free--and I will continue to remain so.

Unfortunately, for those of us without the funds to spend on a PPC
machine, we use Intels.  They are just better price/perfomance
ratio machines.  The most supported OS for it is currently Windows.

Understand that although we don't condone Microsoft, we are not
going to deprive ourselves of Win apps just because of our
beliefs.  That does not make us "evil."

Again, if Apple licenses the ROMs to the Executor authors and
they write a true PowerMac emulator for Rhapsody Intel, I'll
use Mac software.

> 
> >     My god, you sound utterely paranoid about Microsoft as an entity.
> > Your description of the company sounds very much reminiscent of some
> > stereotypically 1950's cold war version of the USSR, as seen by many
> > Americans of that era. Just replace "Microsoft" with "USSR" above.
> 
> Too bad you don't really see what's happening in the software
> marketplace, not just in the U.S., but world-wide--or you'd never say
> such a thing.

True.  Let's hope Janet Reno can handle Bill.

> 
> >     Finally, I do not believe in or worship Microsoft. I am not even
> > a fan of their software products, though if they've written something
> > I find _useful_, I will run it. I really am not concerned with WHO or
> > WHAT wrote the software that runs on my computers, I judge it on how
> > well it works and if it does the job I need. This doesn't just apply
> > to my PC, but my Apple IIgs as well. Blindly boycotting software is
> > foolish, your only short changing yourself. Your boycott of Microsoft
> > is a wasted effort, if you really want to boycott productively, go
> > boycott companies that clear cut the rain forests, or do product
> > testing on animals or countries (like France) that test detonation
> > of nuclear weapons. Those are more serious issues than software
> > monopolies, and are real problems, not fantasy ones.
> 
> It's not a wasted effort as far as I'm concerned.  For every person who
> refuses to use an MS product, that's a statement.  Get enough of these
> people together and you have a formiddable boycott presence.  There have
> been a few others who have posted here this past week that feel the same
> way I do about this monopolistic giant.

What if you can only afford an Intel machine.

Apple is as much to fault.  If it had earlier ported MacOS to
the Intel platform, this would not have happened.  And it
_can_ be done.  Ask on comp.emulators.executor.mac (sp?).

>Here's a newsflash for you:
> whilest working in the PC world from 1985-present, I have used plenty of
> MS apps and a few of their OSs.  Most of their apps, even those ported
> to Macintosh, are bloated, loaded with unneeded "extras", and take scads
> of memory to run (Word 6 is a prime example, though not the only one).
> I'm not missing a DAMN thing by not running MS apps.

Yes.  That's why WordPerfect for the PC is superior to Word.

> Installing
> Clarisworks (that came bundled with my home Mac) not only runs slimmer
> and trimmer, but converted all Word and Excel docs perfectly.  So I
> ceased to use MS apps. altogether.  And you don't even want me to get
> started on the biggest of bloated beasts, MS Office....

But you don't need a Mac to not use MS Office.  Just use
WordPerfect Suite 8.  :)

> 
> And no one *but yourself* is comparing boycotting Microsoft to achieving
> world peace or the elimination of nuclear weapons, saving the rainforest
> or any other such noble cause.  But the protection of the consumer
> market from monopolies such as this one is important, and not fantasy.
> The easiest way for a giant to take over is for everyone to sit back and
> do nothing.

I agree.  Besides, WordPerfect and Netscape are the superior
products.  Just don't link Mac as automatically anti-Microsoft.
PC users can be too and Apple is not always.

-Scott G.