I personally don't care whether Microsoft is broken up. It will make no difference in the end. You think the guys in Redmond haven't figured out how to profit either way? The thing I am tired of is the whole "painting everything with the same brush" concept our country has of dealing with Microsoft. In other words, let's not focus on whether Microsoft should be this or that, but let's just correct them whenever their actions fall outside of what the law allows.
For example, the case of the browser is an iffy one. Who should have say in whether Microsoft includes a browser or not in
their OS? Honestly!! But the one that angers me is the agreement that they force on hardware vendors to prevent them from even
having an alternative OS in the bootloader. This is what killed BEOS, which was by all accounts a much more well-thought-out user-level OS.
As for Microsoft helping the USA, who knows? They may have helped in a lot of ways, but then again, a lot of money has been spent unnecessarily. And they are consummate politicians, who know how to play the game on all sides.
Where I really fear they might hurt the US is in much more frightening ways. You think Microsoft isn't working in secret with as many politicians and legislators as possible? You think Microsoft would shy away from trying to do such a thing as outlaw the GPL? Or even outlaw open source software in general? Don't laugh!! Stranger things have happened in this country when businesses get their hands in government. This kind of thing frightens me far more than whether Microsoft is allowed to do this or that. And this kind of thing will go far to turn America into a police state. Actually, the more I think about Microsoft, the more I fear the possibility of a police state.
For an example, see
And then read near the bottom: "Rather than form a federation with Microsoft and work with what we had already created, there was this notion that the world should be offered an alternative". (to Passport) Oh, yes... the dreaded alternative.
And here's another (less) frightening one:
Notice the quote: "I have to believe that a large percentage of executives who work at Microsoft are not in it for the money. They could all walk away tomorrow and never have to work again. It seems that their motivation is to run the world's largest and most powerful company because it fuels their egos."
I would have to agree that this is a likelihood. And honestly I don't mind anyone running the largest and most powerful company. I just don't want that company to hijack our laws and government to take away our choices. No amount of donations to the right cause are worth that. -------------------------------------------
"Calculus is just the meaningless manipulation of higher symbols"
-unknown F student
not done yet) 