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The LangaList
9-Nov-99
A Free Email Newsletter from Fred Langa About BrowserTune,
HotSpots, Columns, Tips & Tricks, and Other Activities
In This Issue:
Firestorm
about "Microsoft’s Loss Is NOT Your Gain"
"Why Microsoft Won't Settle"
Reader Tip On Taming AOL
Just Seven Weeks to Y2K...
Final (ha!) Note On Registry Backups
Don't Make Me Beg!
Locked Out Again
Just For Grins
More!
Firestorm about "Microsoft’s Loss Is NOT Your Gain"
In yesterday's Special Issue, I wrote that some of the DOJ’s antitrust “findings of fact” against Microsoft were deeply flawed. So far, the early discussions are generating many excellent comments supporting both sides to the issue.
Here's just a sample of the range of comments from strongly anti-Microsoft, through a middle ground, to quite pro-Microsoft:
How much do you think we would all be paying for IE were it not for those goodly folks at Netscape? My guess is about as much as we now pay for Windows. MS is guilty of gross profiteering as well as running a de facto monopoly. ---Anonymous
[Of course, the "goodly folks at Netscape" charged $50 per browser copy. They didn't charge for betas, so many people got the FALSE impression that the browser was free: It was not. Lots of consumers ripped off Netscape long before Microsoft got Netscape in its crosshairs by using the software without paying. But make no mistake: Until Microsoft made browsers free, Netscape--- with its then 90% share of the browser market---wanted $50 from you to use their browser.---Fred]
MS crushed NS with nuclear weapons - no company could sustain that type of onslaught. Any vestige of good will toward MS will be dashed as the full impact of the findings of fact sinks in to the software/Internet community. I am NOT a MS basher, but I have a much better understanding of how the other side feels. Gates has brought on this on to himself. He should settle at ANY COST--- ANY COST!! I just hope that it is not too late.---Bob Brandt
If I wanted to travel cross-country and the only way for me to get from A-to-B was via the XYZ-Train then clearly the XYZ Train Company would hold monopoly power. But as long as I have one or more alternative modes of transportation available to me, then there can be no monopoly...even if 90% of travelers choose to ride the XYZ-Train. The exact same principle applies to Microsoft: as long as consumers have viable alternatives such as the Apple OS, BeOS, Unix, Linux, etc. then they're not at the mercy of anyone's monopoly. Holding a 90% market share is not a valid a test for monopolistic power. The only true test is whether or not viable alternatives exist...regardless of market share....The Judge fell far short in demonstrating the lack of existence of viable alternative Operating Systems. This is the Fatal Flaw in his argument; the flaw which will ultimately result in this case being over-turned.---Dave Miller
If you remember back years ago when they busted up Ma Bell, things got real weird with the local phone systems. I have to admit that a monopoly can be a good thing if it is forced to play "fair". I think that even though Microsoft has done some less than stellar things with it's competitors, when it is all said and done Windows is really a good product.... Now I would pitch a fit if Windows would not allow me to use Netscape, but as it stands I can use any browser I wish. As with most things you do have a choice.... Stop and think about your computing experiences, and ask yourself if all of those computer crashes were really Windows or perhaps those add on apps or even heaven forbid "operator error". ... I hope there will be some middle ground to be found here and not end up as a "witch hunt".--rgr57
{W}hen they split up AT & T and made them split into smaller independent companies... phone service suffered immensely. If the DOJ splits up Microsoft, I fear it will also be the same outcome...---Thomas Haas
I knew you were a MS hugger from the getgo - but trying to defend MS... is poor.--Mick
Too bad you are so bigoted against Microsoft (and AOL). Unfortunately I think you (and the judge are wrong). I'm one of the large majority who think you people are just JEALOUS. I like your letter and will keep reading it but skimming by stuff like this. Bob
All the varied pro, con and in-between posts make for fascinating reading! Come see what's going on, and then join the ongoing discussion at http://content.techweb.com/winmag//columns/explorer/1999/1108.htm .
I also was surprised at a similar range of posts showing up on the InformationWeek site: I had expected a dominantly anti-Microsoft sentiment there, but although the respondents are raising somewhat different issues there than on the WinMag site, the same split is evident. Check it out at: http://www.informationweek.com/langaletter !
Both discussions make fascinating reading!
--------------( Please Visit This LangaList Sponsor!) ------------
--------------(
the above is an advertisement )-------------- Microsoft has to win.
They have never lost a fight that mattered. They have never given up until they
have won. Never. A settlement is losing. And Microsoft is not a loser. So they
cannot settle. In fact, it makes them unwilling to concede on any point. And
instead they fight to win every argument, even those they can afford to lose.... Microsoft is 25,000 of
the brightest people on the face of this planet. Microsoft is 25,000 people all
focused on complete success in their project, their industry, their company.
Microsoft is 25,000 people that have ample proof that they are the most
successful team in history. Microsoft is 25,000 people that know they can enter
any market, any industry, and take it over. Microsoft - so
successful that compromise is unspeakable. After all, you can't take over the
world if you compromise with the DoJ. Wow! GP Maloney writes: Here is a site I
have found very helpful. http://members.aol.com/axcel216/
He (?) has *a lot* of information
about Windows 3.x and 9x. He also has a category
for "AOL ©Tweaks + Speed-Ups". He also mentions some very interesting
freeware to deal with AOL 3/4/5. Thanks
for having such a helpful newsletter. Thanks for offering such a
helpful tip! -------------(
Please Visit This LangaList Sponsor!) ------------ Baker's
Dozen Books--- at a 20% Discount Great
reading for cold nights: Check out the 13 They're
all personally recommended by Fred Langa, and --------------(
the above is an advertisement )-------------- Elizabeth Downs asks: Mike Elgan of
Windows Magazine was interviewed on a television program
called "Computer Chronicles" about Y2K. The program aired in October
in NYC, but I don't know when it was taped. In
the interview, he referred to an article by you about finding and fixing
Y2K problems on PCs, but I don't think that's the exact title. I've
spent some time browsing both winmag.com and your web site, but don't
seem to be able to zero in on this highly recommended article. Could
you help me identify the title or URL for this article, so that I can
look further? In advance, thanks very much for your assistance. The article is at http://content.techweb.com/winmag//library/1999/0101/fea0061.htm.
The free Y2K tests are still good (and I believe they're still the most complete
free tests available anywhere) but some of the offsite URLs mentioned in the
article have changed. Most notably, the Microsoft Y2K offerings are now all
aggregated at http://www.microsoft.com/y2k/ Reader "Dino" (who also
calls himself "PsychoDaddy" and no, I don't know why <g>) found
an oversight in our discussions of Registry backups (see http://www.langa.com/newsletters/nov-1-99.htm#backup
): Just a small remark:
there is a User.Dat for each profile! I have 3 User.Dat on my Win98-system 1 in C:\Windows\ So if you want to make a
complete backup, you have to remember those other 2 User.Dat files, too. Thanks, PsychoD---er, Dino.I only
use one profile here on my PC; I completely forgot that other profiles would
have to be backed up separately! If you think the
LangaList is a worthwhile read, just use the 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 Palm III
organizer for your trouble (full details also available via this link): http://www.langa.com/recommend.htm#1 Or, win a copy of
"Poor Richard's E-Mail Publishing: Creating Newsletters, Bulletins,
Discussion Groups and Other Powerful Communications Tools." This book has
been described as "An excellent, straightforward manual on email
publishing, banner ads, driving traffic and especially ethics." (Full
details also available via this link): http://www.langa.com/recommend.htm#2 Either way, thank
you, and good luck! We covered this before, but it
was a long time ago: Hi Fred-I just wanted to
tell you I think your newsletter is great. The articles and discussions are very
helpful. My problem deals with the password into setup. During bootup when I
press F10, the computer asks me for the password. I don't remember ever putting
a password in-maybe my knowitall son. Anyway, I know there is a place in the
Registry to remove the value in the string but I don't know where it is. Can you
help? Thanks in advance. Rick West Piece o' cake, Rick: Windows 9x
stores passwords in a PWL ("password list") file. From DOS, rename any
<filename>.PWL files in C:\windows to some other name--- such as
<filename>.oldpassword. When you reboot, Windows won't know *any*
passwords, and will let you start fresh. But if turns out you ever need the
old PWL file, you can rename the file back to its original name, and
you'll be back where you started. Dobbie Velosky found
this unattributed gem on the web: The
Programmer's Prayer: -------------(
Please Visit This LangaList Sponsor!) ------------
--------------(
the above is an advertisement )-------------- See you next issue! Best, (Please recommend
the LangaList to a friend! (And maybe win a Palm III) An easier-to read formatted HTML version is
available in the "what's new" section of http://www.langa.com.
(The HTML version of each issue normally is available by 9AM EST [GMT-5] of the
issue date.) All past LangaList issues are also available via the same link. Why are you getting this newsletter? There are
only two ways to get on the list (direct email request or via the WinMag mail
list signup page) so if you're getting this newsletter; your name came to me
through one of those channels. SUBSCRIBE (it's free!): Send email to subscribe-langalist@lyris.dundee.net About
the advertisers: Langa Consulting LLC will never knowingly accept
advertising for a fraudulent product, company or service. However, Langa Consulting LLC makes no implied or explicit warranty, recommendation or endorsement
of or for the products, companies or services mentioned in the ads. Disclaimer:
The tips and other information given in the newsletter are researched and are
believed to be accurate, but we cannot and do not guarantee that all the
information here will work on all systems, for all users, all the time. All
information herein is offered as-is and without warranty of any kind. Neither
Langa Consulting LLC, nor its employees nor contributors are responsible for any
loss, injury, or damage, direct or consequential, resulting from application of
any information presented here. This newsletter is a free service of Langa Consulting LLC and is Copyright © 1999 Langa Consulting LLC. All rights reserved."Why
Microsoft Won't Settle"
David & Shirley Thielen, the
authors of the bestseller "The 12 Simple Secrets of Microsoft
Management," send along this provocative---no, call it "breathtakingly
inflammatory"--- note:
To start, Microsoft's corporate culture virtually assured that
they would lose the trial.
Let me take you into the being that is Microsoft. First off, all computer
illiterate people are morons. Most people at other companies are morons. Other
people do not have the brains, the bandwidth, the genius that people at
Microsoft have. Because, if they did, Microsoft would hire them. In a word,
Microsoft is utterly arrogant. And deservedly so. Bill built the company from 2
people to the most highly capitalized company in the world. And he did it in 20
years with essentially no outside help....
In addition, an incredibly large percentage of the Microsoft workforce,
including the senior executives, have never worked elsewhere. They were never
civilized in the standard business environment which would eliminate anyone as
nakedly aggressive as the people at Microsoft. In a sense many, including Bill,
are, in a sense, still the brilliant spoiled teenagers who know they are right
and see the world very much in Black & White.
So what does Microsoft want? It's very simple. They want to win. Microsoft is
not in it for the money. They are in business to show everyone else they are the
best. To take 100% of every market they go after. The unofficial but very real
corporate motto at Microsoft is Total World Domination. To take 100% of every
market they go after....
Microsoft, and especially Bill, consider the government and the case
unacceptable. The closest analogy is that of a gifted teenager forced by his
mother to respond to a neighbor's accusations. Bill knows he is right and he is
offended that he even has to go through this. And like a sulking teenager, he is
going to be as uncooperative as possible....
In short, Microsoft is probably the most arrogant group of people on the face of
the earth. And while the basis for much of that arrogance is legit, the
arrogance itself will be their undoing. Because the government does not operate
like the business world does. And in their arrogance Microsoft will not lower
itself to truly understand how the government works.Reader
Tip On Taming AOL
computer-related books at http://www.langa.com/books.htm
are available at Amazon.Com's deepest discounts!Just
Seven Weeks to Y2K...
Final
(ha!) Note On Registry Backups
1 in C:\Windows\Profiles\xxx\
1 in C:\Windows\Profiles\yyy\Don’t
Make Me Beg! 8-)
Locked
Out Again!
Just
For Grins
Our program, which art in memory
Hello be thy name
Thy operating system come
Thy commands be done
At the Printer
As it is on the screen.
Give us this day our daily data
And forgive us our input/output errors
As we forgive those whose circuits are faulty.
Lead us not into frustration
And deliver us from power surges.
For this is the algorithm
Application and solution
Looping forever and ever.
Return.
Fred
(fred@langa.com)
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