The LangaList

Microsoft’s Loss Is NOT Your Gain

Holy smokes, what an outpouring--- hundreds and hundreds of people have posted their thoughts on the "Findings of Fact." 

My column on the WinMag site (see http://content.techweb.com/winmag//columns/explorer/1999/1108.htm  ) also seems to be some kind of Rorschach test: Some see a huge pro-Microsoft bias (on my part) in the column; others think I'm biased against Microsoft and am siding with the Judge. Amazing!

Some of the Rorschach-like behavior stems from personal preferences. For example, a number of Netscape users wrote in saying how Internet Explorer evilly tried to take over their system and become their default browser when they installed it. And a number of IE users wrote in with *exactly* the same charge about Netscape. 

They're both right: No matter which browser you've installed first, when you install the other, it will politely ask if you want to make it the default. If you say Yes, both browsers will aggressively insinuate themselves into your system. If you say No, then both quietly sit in the background as an alternative browser (as they should). 

But for people whose primary experience is with just one browser, the actions of the competing browser can seem like a hostile thing; and the seemingly-hostile behavior can become a lens through which to view (with suspicion) the actions of one company or the other.

The whole Antitrust thing is not (to my mind) a simple "good versus evil" binary kind of issue: It's a very complex one in which none of the parties is without blame. So, in my column, I was trying for balance. There are some areas in which I believe the Court was right. In discussing Microsoft's pricing practices, for example, I said:  "To the degree that simple greed was at play, Microsoft was clearly wrong. To the degree it was illegal, Microsoft should be punished." 

But in others, I think the Court was very, very wrong.

Come see why, and then join the discussion at http://content.techweb.com/winmag//columns/explorer/1999/1108.htm .

Or, join the enterprise-centric discussion at InformationWeek Online, here: http://www.informationweek.com/langaletter !

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Crystal Ball?

The end of the year is approaching, and it's always instructive---and fun!--- to try to predict what the new year will bring.

In December, I'll tell you my wild guess---er, expert predictions--- for the Top Ten Trends of the Year 2000. But how about adding yours to the mix? I'll include as many of the most interesting reader predictions as I can, along with my own.

You don't have to have 10--- any number of predictions will be fine. Just jot down one or more significant trends, events, technologies, or products that you think will play a major role in the year 2000, and a brief sentence or two explaining the "whats" and "whys" of your prediction (so I'll be sure to know what you're referring to).

Your predictions can be in any computer-related category: Hardware, software, new technologies, technologies that become obsolete, general trends, etc. Anything goes, as long as it's related to computers. Send your predictions in email to: predict@langa.com

And then stay tuned for the issue in December when I roll out the best of the reader predictions, along with my own. Join in!

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Win A Palm III Organizer, or a Book

Win a Palm III by using following link to recommend the LangaList to a friend. Your friend just may find a new source of useful information; I just may gain a new subscriber; and you just may win a nifty handheld tool (full details also available via this link):

http://www.langa.com/recommend.htm#1

Or, win a copy of a $30 book (Full details also available via this link):

http://www.langa.com/recommend.htm#2 

Either way, thank you, and good luck!

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Reader-Recommended Site

Richard E. Rogers sends along this site recommendation:

Enjoy your weekly articles--they are very well written and tremendously informative in solving many problems and glitches to be encountered. Thank you for sharing with everyone. 

Another site I like to look at for Windows information is http://www.smartcomputing.com .This site is the online version of their magazines that can be purchased on the shelf at most bookstores. The Master Index of Issues lists the mags and has almost as much tech info as the magazines, sans the pictures. It has been helpful to me, especially the PC/Novice Windows 98 Tips & Tricks issue which helped me learn the operating system faster than most books I have encountered so far. If you have someone that is having a hard time learning, this site will get them up to speed FAST. Best Regards--- Rick

Thanks, Rick!

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Speaking Of Great Sites....

If you're not visiting the HotSpots site every day (at http://www.browsertune.com/flanga/hotspots.htm ), you're missing a lot. For example, here's what's appeared there during the last 10 days:

1. Amazing array of great info
   http://www.hardwarecentral.com/hardwarecentral/tutorials/
2. Try sending it *this* page:
   http://www.wordbot.com/
3. It takes a minute, but then you get it:
   http://www.killfrog.com/newpages/ever.html
4. Good security info:
   http://safer.siamrelay.com/
5. Drive different:
   http://www.logicware.com/keyVcar/
6. This really stinks:
   http://www.wired.com/news/reuters/0,1349,31909,00.html
7. Nice labor-of-love site:
   http://members.tripod.com/~adver/index.html
8. Weird and wonderful:
   http://www.humongousbank.com/
9. A great rant:
   http://www.seattleweekly.com/features/9942/kiss-gunn.shtml
10. Truth really is stranger than fiction:
    http://www.dumblaws.com/

Every day, the HotSpots site presents one unusually helpful, informative, strange, funny, or otherwise noteworthy site. All it takes is a click--- check it out today and every day!

http://www.browsertune.com/flanga/hotspots.htm 

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Just For Grins

Larry Coots sends along "Lars' Laws of IS"

• If anything can go wrong, you're probably running the latest version.
• When given a choice, neither one will work.
• Multiple choice means multiple opportunities to screw up.
• If it's worth doing, it's worth complaining about the upgrade first.
• If you can't Win, you're probably stuck at a DOS prompt.
• Perfection is not optional, nor is it expected... until the next Service Pack.
• When faced without a challenge, get the latest beta.
• If you can't change the rules, you probably haven't downloaded the latest patch.
• "No" simply means you're going to have to pay for tech support from now on.
• When in doubt, try Windows Help.
• If still in doubt, you probably tried Windows Help.
• Patience is a virtue, but when dealing with non-technical users, it may require the assistance of sugar and caffeine.
• The squeaky hard drive gets replaced.
• The faster the latest computer runs the farther behind the curve you get. When you see yourself approaching from behind, you're too far behind the curve. Be sure you get out of your way before you catch up to you.

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