Michael Perelman wrote > The problem is twofold. > > Tying the products is cheaper IF you want to buy all or most of the > products. Sure, but the logic required to seamlessly look at the Internet as part of your file system, which does much of the work of a browser bar the user interface, seems a rational thing to build into an operating system. I wouldn't use the same argument for a word processor for example (though building some of the common functions used by a word processor into the operating system might be useful, and is done). I believe it is this kind of issue involved in the current Windows 98/Internet Explorer show-down: not simply bundling IE with Win 98. > > The larger problem is that Microsoft wants to control the pipeline. > It wants to be able to collect something from all the transactions > [including the consumption of intellectual property]. They call > this, vig, a gambling term. Ultimately, that is the danger. Yes, I had missed that one. That sounds like a case for regulation or public ownership in that even if MS's browser was separated from Windows, its market share would still enable it to control a substantial part of the pipeline because of its market dominance via Windows, and its ability to write applications for Windows more effectively using undocumented features. Bill > > > > Bill Rosenberg wrote: > > > That is getting to the heart of the matter. From a user's point of > > view, having the browser integrated with the operating system makes > > very good sense, as long as there are ways to install competing user > > interfaces. Forcing MS to sell it separately will increase > > user costs, not reduce them, and probably lead to a more clunky > > system. What is needed is sufficient regulation or public ownership > > of these key assets such that they can't be used for profiteering or > > cutting out the competition. Anti-trust actions don't really attack > > the problem, if they end up splitting up what should be an > > integrated system, and keeping these bits of software together is an > > advantage. I don't have great faith in the long-term effect of > > anti-trust actions to boost competition in any case. > > -- > Michael Perelman > Economics Department > California State University > Chico, CA 95929 > > Tel. 916-898-5321 > E-Mail [EMAIL PROTECTED] > Bill Rosenberg, Deputy Director, Computer Services Centre University of Canterbury, Private Bag 4800, Christchurch, New Zealand [EMAIL PROTECTED] Ph 64 3 3642801. Fax 64 3 3642332. Room 211, Ext 6801
