Hi, in your summary of the guts of capitalism, the word profit was
regrettably missing.
wcm>
> Issodhos @aol.com wrote:
>
> >    It is true that Microsoft does not make the best operating system, and it
> >does not make the best applications software, and it is not innovative.  But
> >then capitalism, even in a fully free market, is not meant to provide the
> >best of any"thing" -- it is meant to provide a 'product' that the customer
> >wants.  So, what is it that the customer wants and gets from Microsoft?  In
> >other words, what is Microsoft's 'product'?
> >
> >   I would suggest that Microsoft's product is a standard operating system
> >which provides a commonality among a majority of business users, one source
> >of support, confidence that the company will be around tomorrow, various
> >applications that work together and are similar in function, and relative
> >continuity in upgraded product line.  In short, their product is customer
> >service -- the OS and software are just bundled with it.:-)
>
> Yes indeed, I agree completely. That is why Microsoft is a monopoly,
> because obviously there can be only one owner of a standard operating
> system. As I understand the legal solution, that would not change, there
> would continue to be one owner of the standard operating system. The
> problem would remain, as it must under an economic system where the means
> of production are privately owned.
>
> Bill Bartlett
> Bracknell tas
>