On Microsoft, Computers and Government

[Travis Retriever]

You (Shane) said Microsoft isn't a monopoly (well, obviously, as there's always Linux or Apple) but still...
I also know that the computer industry (at least in this country) is among the least regulated industries.

Yet I can't help but wonder.
What if there was zero regulation and a 100% free market in that industry?
No bullshit software licenses (Intellectual Property for computer programmers, last time I checked), no incorporation for companies (e.g. Apple, Dell, HP and Microsoft etc are all Corporations* last time I checked), and so on.
*State protectionism for the win.
You yourself said that Government is so huge it affects most everything rather largely.

I might just be upset because explorer.exe keeps crashing on me whenever I try to get into control panel; or when I get into one of my picture folders with many of them, the computer slows down so much it freezes about half the time (the latter being mostly fixed).

It would be nice to see much a much smaller government, or even better:  none at all.  Short of a full blown worldwide fiat currency collapse that kills billions (yes, you heard me, Billions) I don't see Government ever shrinking, lot alone being abolished as the inherently violent institution that it is.  There's just no reason or incentive.
Basically, it's like getting a totalitarian king to voluntarily give up his power.
Why would he?
He's too fat, dumb and happy to give a shit about us little people.

[MrBogosity]

What if there was zero regulation and a 100% free market in that industry?
No bullshit software licenses

That'd be amazing! Imagine--they'd actually have to INNOVATE!

I think we'll win this one, the way we won the DRM war.

no incorporation for companies

Another biggie. I'd love for someone to make a competing Apple product. Give me non-Apple produced hardware capable of running OSX!

Maybe I'm a bit upset because explorer.exe keeps crashing on me whenever I try to get into control panel;

You too, huh? I CONSTANTLY get explorer.exe crashes, and have since the 95 and NT 4.0 days. Microsoft apologists INSIST that this doesn't happen--it really is like a religion, isn't it?

[Gumba Masta]

Of course you two ignore the most obvious reason for your computers acting up.
They're possesed by malevolent spirits that have a personal hatred for you.

[AHPMB]

Another biggie. I'd love for someone to make a competing Apple product. Give me non-Apple produced hardware capable of running OSX!

I remember back when I was a kid I'd always bring that up in the Apple/PC debates.  For all of the bullshit about Microsoft, PC manufacture is an open market.  Which is why I'm typing this on my new gaming laptop that could be built exactly to my specifications and shipped for free.  Don't get me wrong, Windows 7 is probably the first decent operating system Microsoft has put out since DOS (in that it didn't ship broken), but I'd love to be able to boot this thing in OSX whenever I wanted to.  With Apple, if you want to use their software, you HAVE to use their hardware, which isn't such a bad thing now that they've switched over to PC equipment, but if anyone can remember what they were like just 10 years ago, you'll know exactly what I mean.  It also means they gouge their customers on hardware prices.  Imagine them just putting out a PC compatible version of their OS on the market and seeing what happens.  They wouldn't even have to kill their computer line, because it's finally decent enough to stand on its own merits.  Of course the die hard Apple fans would have a fit, but I think two decades has proven that they're about 5% of the market share, so who gives a shit?

[MrBogosity]

Of course you two ignore the most obvious reason for your computers acting up.
They're possesed by malevolent spirits that have a personal hatred for you.

Yes, and they live in Redmond, WA.

[MrBogosity]

For all of the bullshit about Microsoft, PC manufacture is an open market.  Which is why I'm typing this on my new gaming laptop that could be built exactly to my specifications and shipped for free.

Yeah, when I got my new system for video work, I put together a kick-ass system for just under $1000. When I looked at the Macs, I'd pay twice that much for a system half as powerful. And that was just this past year!

Don't get me wrong, Windows 7 is probably the first decent operating system Microsoft has put out since DOS (in that it didn't ship broken),

Probably because it's effectively Vista with a support pack.

[AHPMB]

Probably because it's effectively Vista with a support pack.

The fact that Microsoft is releasing a patched version of an older operating system as a new one is no guarantee that it will work better.  I direct your attention to Windows ME.

[MrBogosity]

That wasn't what ME was. It was an attempt at a fundamental rewrite of many core technologies, including TCP/IP, driver interface, UPnP, and many others. At some point, Microsoft made the decision to abandon the 9x line (which is what ME was a part of) and migrate everyone over to the NT line (2000/XP). ME, I'm convinced, was an unfinished product that Microsoft released just so they could get back some of the money they put into it.

[Virgil0211]

That wasn't what ME was. It was an attempt at a fundamental rewrite of many core technologies, including TCP/IP, driver interface, UPnP, and many others. At some point, Microsoft made the decision to abandon the 9x line (which is what ME was a part of) and migrate everyone over to the NT line (2000/XP). ME, I'm convinced, was an unfinished product that Microsoft released just so they could get back some of the money they put into it.

Why'd they make the decision to abandon the 9x line?

Sorry, but it's been a while since I tried to stay up-to-date with computers. Even then, I wasn't that into software. I was always more of a hardware junkie. I could easily put together the parts of the computer and such, and understand what they did, but programming was always Greek to me. =P

[Travis Retriever]

[The] PC manufacture is an open market.

True, but then why are there so few startups?
Well, at least none that I know of.

Imagine if the hardware part was also a 100% free market with no incorporation or patents!

[Travis Retriever]

Why'd they make the decision to abandon the 9x line?

Sorry, but it's been a while since I tried to stay up-to-date with computers. Even then, I wasn't that into software. I was always more of a hardware junkie. I could easily put together the parts of the computer and such, and understand what they did, but programming was always Greek to me. =P

I'm surrounded by geeks. 

[Travis Retriever]

You too, huh? I CONSTANTLY get explorer.exe crashes, and have since the 95 and NT 4.0 days. Microsoft apologists INSIST that this doesn't happen--it really is like a religion, isn't it?

Then it's not just me.

Microsoft seem to have their woos.  Then again so does Apple.
I know two friends who will argue over which is superior.

[Travis Retriever]

Of course you two ignore the most obvious reason for your computers acting up.
They're possesed by malevolent spirits that have a personal hatred for you.

That or Bill Gates is conspiring against us.

[Travis Retriever]

That wasn't what ME was. It was an attempt at a fundamental rewrite of many core technologies, including TCP/IP, driver interface, UPnP, and many others. At some point, Microsoft made the decision to abandon the 9x line (which is what ME was a part of) and migrate everyone over to the NT line (2000/XP). ME, I'm convinced, was an unfinished product that Microsoft released just so they could get back some of the money they put into it.

That would explain why so many people hate Windows ME.

[VectorM]

That'd be amazing! Imagine--they'd actually have to INNOVATE!

I think we'll win this one, the way we won the DRM war.

You did? I am ignorant about this one, what exactly happened?