From: helz@ecn.purdue.edu (Randall A Helzerman)
Subject: Re: Microsoft and Force continued.
Organization: Purdue University Engineering Computer Network
Date: Sat, 9 Jan 1993 00:41:17 GMT

In article <1993Jan8.175811.7172@gw.wmich.edu>, 177wardell@gw.wmich.edu writes:
|> 
|> 	To clear up some confusion...
|> 
|> 	If I am not mistaken (and I might be but I don't think so), the
|> deal that Microsoft has with the cloners is as follows:
|> 
|> 	Each of your  PCs MUST have MS-DOS/Windows preloaded in order
|> to get a special discount.

You're not mistaken (about this anyways).

|> 	It has nothing to do withbulk.  Even if you sell 3 million PCs,
|> you have to install it on all 3 million to get the deal.  This is
|> totally unfair and I will use an example that the US government already
|> interfered in:

Unfair by what standards?  I think its unfair that purchasing directors
make more money than grad students, who do the real work, so please write
me a check. :-) :-)

|> 	In 1990, Nintendo America would often threaten not to let stores
|> sell Nintendo or Nintendo made cartridges for their popular game machine
|> if the seller stocked competing systems.  This is wrong.

Ever try buying a Frosty at McDonalds? 

|> 	Similarly, Microsoft is not saying (if you buy 1 box fo windows
|> then it costs $70, buy 10 and it is $60,  buy  1,000,000 and it is only $50.
|> Their deal is you MUST put Windows on every PC that you sell or you don't
|> get the discount on MS-DOS/Windows.
|> 	Speaking as a purchasing director, it is not realistic for many
|> companies to turn down this deal since MS-DOS is the standard.

Well if you're customers want MS-DOS you'll have to get it somehow.  My
mommy told me that if I wanted something that somebody else had I had to
get them to agree to give it to me, otherwise I'd be stealing.  I knew
some big kids who would gang up on a small kid and steal his lunch, but my
mommy told me that was being a bully, so I didn't do that either.

In a polite, decent society people don't gang up with the goverment and steal
what belongs to others.  Microsoft owns windows, and a polite, decent person,
even though they might not agree with what Microsoft is doing, will respect
Microsoft's right to sell what belongs to them.

|> 	
|> 	This is what is so immoral (in my opinion).  Now you can say
|> "Hey, they  aren't forced into that deal" but try to live in the real
|> world when you argue such  a thing.  Customers want MS-DOS.  DR. DOS
|> is rarely requested except by experienced computer users who simply want
|> Dr. DOS.  Other companies may want MS-Windows but our company never
|> receives requests for it.  (We do not have a contract with Microsoft).

Well, this is admittedly an extreme example, but I'll bet that there are
as many men who want to sleep with Cindy Crawford as there are PC's running
MS-DOS.  Can I set my self up as a "dealer" and use "customer demand" to
justify pimping her?  After all, she is a monopoly supplier.

This is why I don't think its immoral--"the ends NEVER justify the means."
				
				NEVER.

|> 	In short, this form of marketting is highly questionable.  I won't
|> even argue it with people taking the  naive stance of "Well you aren't
|> forced to sign that contract!"

If you won't argue it will you discuss it?
Newsgroups: comp.os.os2.advocacy