Mailing List Archive


[Date Prev][Date Next][Thread Prev][Thread Next][Date Index][Thread Index]

Re: [tlug] Re: [OT] Say _no_ to the Microsoft Office format as an ISO standard



On 09/07/07, Stephen J. Turnbull <stephen@example.com> wrote:

Josh Glover writes:

 > So leave the market alone, governments. Antitrust laws are slow,
 > unwieldy, and often enforced in a highly politically motivated way.
 >
 > Who needs 'em?

We all do, son.

The cases that Microsoft has lost that stayed lost proves that they
*will* play "On The Edge, Inc".  It's true that Microsoft doesn't play
anywhere near the kind of hardball that the robber barons of the 19th
century did, but it's not obvious to me that without strict laws, they
wouldn't push the envelope.

Second, having laws tells the law-abiding citizens what their rights
are.
[...]
And if you want to know why antitrust is necessary, just look at NTT.

These are all good points, but didn't the AT&T and NTT monopolies happen *because* of government diddling in the markets (i.e. NTT *was* the government before it got somewhat privatised, right? And AT&T had the full cooperation of the US government when they were establishing their stranglehold).

I am just not convinced that antitrust laws are the best way to
protect citizens from the excesses of capitalism.

But I do feel that laws on the books should be enforced or overturned,
so it is a shame that there is no real bite to antitrust. Like you
sad, big companies pay the fines as a cost of doing business.
Intentional fouls was a perfect metaphor, and one that I will be
stealing forthwith. ;)

--
Cheers,
Josh


Home | Main Index | Thread Index

Home Page Mailing List Linux and Japan TLUG Members Links