Re: Microsoft takes on ACT

[Preben Randhol <randhol+abuse@pvv.org>]

On Thu, 23 May 2002 17:21:56 -0400, Marin David Condic wrote:
> Ahhhhh, but this fits nicely with the theory of Free Markets. (In theory at
> least) In a totally free market, nobody could maintain a monopoly on
> anything forever. This is because there are always substitutes and sooner or
> later an alternate supplier will emerge. (Of course, sooner or later, we'll
> all be dead, too. :-)

What is a totally free market? Looking at the "Free" Markets today one
see that companies gets bigger and bigger and fewer and fewer. I think
ideal theory cannot be applied to the current market. The reason why for
instance Linux does well is that it is outside the market. If Linux had
been a company, Microsoft would have bought it and dismantled it in
order to keep its place. Now they try by spreading FUD.

Read:

 GNU.org.pe: Peruvian Congressman's Open Letter to Microsoft
 http://linuxtoday.com/news_story.php3?ltsn=2002-05-06-012-26-OS-SM-LL

The Free Market revolves around the survival of the fittest which means
you will always get large companies dominating and smaller companies
trying to grow up to overturn the "leader". The problem is that the
bigger companies won't play fair. The advantage smaller comanies may
have is that they can be more dynamic. Another problem is the cost
barrier to get into a market which may be extremely high.

Preben