On Wed, 23 Mar 2005, Christian Einfeldt wrote:
... Currently, Microsoft's solution is to try to "buy" the market by "lobbying" (bribing) local officials, giving its software to some libraries and schools, and offering package deals to governments like Thailand.
But that is not a sustainable business model for a company whose revenue is primarily derived from the SALES of the software itself!
Hence the move for proprietary formats and DRM to get hold of people's data. MS is going for broke in this regard, to use their influence as a political / ideological movement to get enough customers' data locked in to pull them through to the next development/marketing cycle.
Windows and Microsoft Office are becoming commodities, and it is difficult to base a market-leader on the sales of low-margin commodities....
I'm starting to suspect that when most people say "Windows" they mean a graphical user interface with a windowing system.* Likewise, when many (most?) people say "Word" or "Office" they really mean a word processor or a productivity suite. That means the missing piece is simple that people have been brainwashed / brow beaten into forgetting that there are viable choices out there.
Also, data formats have been taken for granted. Few (no one?) thinks it's weird that the same file can be read by Mozilla, Netscape, Firefox, Opera, Cameleon, etc. Strangely, few think it's weird that word processors can't deal with files from their competitors. Technically, that's changing now with OpenDocument.
I'm not expecting a great change in awareness, however, I am expecting a great change in behavior and expectations.
-Lars
* I bet this could be studied quickly and easily.
Lars Nooden ([EMAIL PROTECTED])
Software patents kill innovation and harm all Net-based business.
Keep them out of the EU by writing your MEP, keep the market open.--------------------------------------------------------------------- To unsubscribe, e-mail: [EMAIL PROTECTED] For additional commands, e-mail: [EMAIL PROTECTED]
