Quote:
Originally posted by Neb:
So therefore it's more profitable for him and his products to be reliable, legal and nice.
|
Neb, sad to say, but there is no way ever that M$ can be got rid of. Look at the average company network. You have various M$ office documents - a pain to convert, but not impossible. Then you have your applications, often costing thousands. Assuming you can find non-M$ equivalents for them all, you still have a substantial re-train cost to pay.
Then theres the server software. Many of the products in the M$ Backoffice range simply do not have a non-M$ equivalent, and those that do tend to lack the integration of M$ versions. Makes your system a whole lot less efficient, and you have a large set-up time, test time, re-train for the IT department who have to maintain it.
And then you have your operating systems. You have any idea how long it takes to rip windows off of 100 PCs (small company network, many run to tens of thousands), install a *NIX, install (and maybe compile) all the applications, test them, and get the operators up to speed.
And even after you do all this - assuming the company hasnt gone bankrupt - you stil have M$ office documents coming in through emails (And there are *no* reliable converters, you cannot convert back and forth as a part of your routine).
No, M$ dont have to treat its customers right to keep them. They just have to keep hurting the competition so it can never compete.