Ted Roche wrote:
On 7/25/06, Bill Anderson <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> wrote:
"Opinion: The company's newly stated Windows development principles
sound good, if Microsoft will follow them.
I found the statements so incredible. Mary Jo Foley over at Microsoft
Watch says,
"Microsoft's Tenets: Old Words in New Bottles: Don't be fooled: There
are no real concessions in Microsoft's ballyhooed golden rules of
engagement."
And on that front...
"Last week, Microsoft unveiled what it called "Windows Principles:
Twelve Tenets to Promote Competition." Stop laughing. It could happen.
Really. True, Microsoft's "voluntary principles" mainly consist of
things the company already has to do in the wake of its disastrous
antitrust trial a few years back. And true, Microsoft's spokesman
promoting these competitive principles -- its chief competition officer,
so to speak -- was the company's top lawyer, Brad Smith.
Someone cynical might think this was just a publicity stunt as Microsoft
faces a new round of antitrust troubles.
But maybe -- just maybe -- Microsoft still just doesn't get competition.
Look, consider what the company says it will do to promote competition:
not sabotage PC makers' ability to configure PCs with non-Microsoft
software. And not retaliate against vendors that do so. And not cram
Windows Live down users' throats. And make Windows programming
interfaces, protocols and patents available (but not necessarily for
free). And be in favor of Net neutrality.
Pretty lame, eh? It's largely what Microsoft has already been forced to
do by the courts. But that's what you get when your ideas of competition
come from your lawyer."
"Wrong. Things have changed. A dozen legalistic "principles" are nice,
but what Microsoft needs are action items -- and big ones at that.
So in the interest of lighting a fire under Microsoft and its rivals,
here are 12 suggestions that would really promote competition at Microsoft:"
"Get that neat new stuff out of Microsoft Research's labs and on the
street. Microsoft loves to talk about innovation. Show us some."
"Give up on technical lock-in with proprietary protocols and formats. It
doesn't work, and it just irritates customers."
"Seduce your customers. Don't lie to them, mislead them or threaten
them. Draw them in by making them love you, not fear or hate or resent you."
"Quit following. Start leading. And soon you'll be promoting more
competition than you know what to do with."
<http://www.computerworld.com/action/article.do?command=viewArticleBasic&articleId=112464>
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