Monday, August 19, 2002, 12:00:52 PM, you wrote:
<snip> GLM> Ok, dig this: Athabasca University _requires_ Accounting students to GLM> purchase their O/S from Microsoft. It's interesting that this (and GLM> similar software requirements in other courses) has existed for years GLM> and yet the Waterloo requirement for C# is suddenly news. It's usually the sign of a trend, versus something more meaningful to people, like a belief. The thing is, many people simply aren't aware that there's much out there besides MS software (and I'm talking about the "average" person reading these articles). The fact that MS has had their name attached to anti-competitive practices is the real reason people are taking notice of it now. This is different than actually understanding the problem. If the incestuousness itself was something the public at large was concerned about - rather than the fact that, these days, MS's business practices are seen as shady - then this and others would've been publicized years ago. If we were talking about a Canadian software company with a more or less clean track-record (good software, reasonable business practices, a general lack of big-box advertising or popularity) doing the same thing, I have to wonder if they'd be treated the same way. I suppose the issue is: is the MS-factor the reason this article is even getting publicity, or are people beginning to actually see how money is used as leverage in public institutions for potentially monopolistic goals? -- Matt Cahill mailto:[EMAIL PROTECTED] --------------------------------------------------------------------- To unsubscribe, e-mail: [EMAIL PROTECTED] For additional commands, e-mail: [EMAIL PROTECTED]
