Bill Gates has a tendency to give the Finger to Governments
Microsoft Windows Really Crappy Edition
Dan Gillmor has an interesting take on the recent M$ move to call their new XP the Reduced Media Version - they've since said that they'll find a better name becuase the EU whined about it.
A few years ago, when ordered by a judge to remove Internet Explorer from the Windows operating system, Microsoft offered as one option an operating system that wouldn't work. I called this "compliance with a raised middle finger."
Now, ordered by the European Union to sell a version of Windows with Media Player removed, Microsoft proposed to name the OS "Windows XP Reduced Media Edition," another example of the company's tendency to give the finger to government whenever the mood strikes. (This latest insult-the-judge move is even more puzzling given that the EU didn't tell our favorite monopolist to sell the "reduced" version at a lower price, which means that PC makers are hardly likely to opt for a version that has less software at the same price.)
He goes on to give some proposals for the new name:
- Windows Government Censored Version
- Windows We Should Be Able to Bundle A Roast Beef Sandwich With the OS If We Want To Edition
- Windows Don't Blame Us For Your Security Problems Edition
- Windows Until We Become Part of Your Taxes Edition
Pretty funny Dan :)
How about, Windows - we will own the EU before the decades out Edition?
Absolutely brilliant. I appla
Absolutely brilliant. I applaud Microsoft for having the courage to say "shove it" to overpaid politicians that have nothing better to do than to mingle in the free market when they shouldn't be.
in fairness
this is because the EU tried to do their best to defend the little guy against the big corporation. Cack-handed it may be but at least they tried to do the right thing - pray they keep trying 'cos otherwise nasty things will happen
name
Microsoft XP: Paying for trying to muscle out smaller companies
Reduced Media
Well, I for one wouldn't want to pay for an operating system that didn't have something as essential as a media player missing. And no, being able to download it freely afterwards is not the solution.
Monopolistic or not, as creators of this product (Windows) they should be able to bundle whatever they want with it, as long as they allow the user to choose not to use it or to install an alternative.
I laughed when Microsoft made
I laughed when Microsoft made a deal when they were deemed a monopoly: they 'offered' to supply schools with software and computers. That's an easy way to get many youngsters -- that is future MS proponents -- using their products.