I am a little mad at the U.S. Goverment for killing a company that wasen't really running a monopoly but was just a step ahead of the other companys when it comes to making good software for computers. One good thing that might come out of this is Linux. I do use Windows but still I like Linux a little bit better then Windows just because it looks better. That is what I think is going to happen.

Anyone that knows me knows that I hate MS with a passion. I'm a Linux guy. However, I also know when someone is being screwed (sound like I have personal experience huh). I also hate the American Government. They suck at everything too. However, I wonder what would happen if this was to happen......

----------------
ANNOUNCEMENT: SPEAKER: BILL GATES
Today, on the last day of a complete Company named MicroSoft, the board members and I have decided to take action because of this break up. As of 12:00am Midnight tonight, MicroSoft will cease ALL operations and close its doors. The official statement will be, due to the United States of America's Government, wanting more money, since they already are taxing the people to death, found another source of income (Microsoft), we are ceasing all operations including sales, support, and innovations. There are no monopolistic practices going on within our company, we just want to strive to be better and better. We are being punished for the whole reason this country was founded on. Freedom. Last we checked, the whole purpose of any company is to start somewhere and continue on to the top and beyond. Now, we see exactly what happens here in the US. You get to a point where the government says you are too good, they stop you cold. Well, United States of America, your dream has come true. By unanimous decision, MicroSoft is CLOSED. So world countries, feel free to place your blame on the US. By the way, if we should decide to re-open, which country would like to house us? We pay employees quite well!

Bill Gates
-----------------------------

Now this is all just make up, but anyone care to take a fraction of a guess at what would happen? Like I said, I hate MS. However, someone prove to me, A US Citizen, where the monopoly is!
Windows --- Linux
Word --- Word Pro (Lotus), WordPerfect (Corel)
Excel -- Lotus 123 (lotus), Quatro Pro (Corel)
Win NT/2000 - Linux, some places still, OS/2, AS/400, ES9000,
Explorer -- Netscape, Lynx, Opera, a few other small ones
Solitair -- DAMN they do have a monopoly!
Outlook -- Netscape Mail, Eudora, Pegasus Mail, yada yada yada
Front Page -- Hot Metal Pro, Hotdog Pro, WebStudio
SQL 7.0 -- MySQL, mSQL, Postgress (All these are free by the way)

Can anyone show/tell me what MS has that there is not at least one other company producing?!?!?! Last I heard and understand, monopoly means NO ONE ELSE CAN DO IT BECAUSE BIG DADDY EITHER BUYS THEM OUT OR TAKES ALL MARKET SHARES.
Sure MS is big, but by no means do they meet any of these so called monoploy practices.

Please, someone respond to this, send me email (wjones@fireblazer.com) concerning it. I would love to send this reponse up to DC.

You know, I actually remember one time that someone said this country was home of the free.... hmmm, I think I sorta disagree. Work ones tail off, pay half to the government. Government then screws you in the end if you do good. hmmm. Sounds like a free place to live to me.

Finally, a Linux guy that sees what is REALLY going on here !! Excellent comments, not much that could really be added to them so I'll let it rest. If more Linux guys were like you, we might be able to get along.

People Need to watch out for microsoft they have done alot for this world (Hello) where would ebay , amozon , be with out microsoft think about the billions and billions of dollars companys have made with windows as there os and little people like netscape are sad .what i think is if they code better software then people would use it people just dont want nutscrape and other crap that just doesnt work on there computers .
Microsoft will allways be the biggest and baddest company ever even if they break up just watch what they do
I am a Beta Tester For microsoft and I know They will fix the prob at hand TRUST ME you will SEE.

Don't be so hard on Netscape, sure i don't like Netscape's browser...(i do like Mozilla tho) but without Netscape there would be no WWW as we know it. Netscape's browser was out years before MS's and most of the stuff MS "makes" is bought from other companies...i have nothing against MS, but come on Netscape has given a lot to the internet, so has Sun who was in the suet too. MS didn't even think the internet was important when Netscape and sun were out there pioneering.. so give them the credit they are due.

What? Netscape doesn't deserve credit for creating "the WWW as we know it". Mosaic was the first major browser. Netscape made a name for themselves by adding their own proprietary "extensions" to the Mosaic browser. (For example, they were the first to offer the tag, and tables.)

And people complain about MS adding their own extensions to standards... Ha! Netscape most certainly started it.

offer the tag = offer the CENTER tag

really, Netscape responsible for WWW? That's like when Al Gore said he was the father of the Internet.

Sun is in the suite because they are scared that MS is going to break Sun's monopoly on the server market, same with Oracle.
Really, the two companies are just pissing in their pants because of Windows2000, and SQL Server 2000, and that was the only thing they could think of doing to keep their monopoly in that market.

Sun a monopoly on the server market? Oracle on the DB? In your dreams!!!!!
Ever heard of IBM, HP, Sybase, Informix, DB2????
Probably not but of course you know Win2K and SQLServer 2000.

Maybe you haven't noticed it but their is a lot of competition on the Unix market (especially since Linux surfaced). Same thing on the DB market. The company I work at uses Solaris, HP-UX, AIX, Digital Unix, Linux.... and Oracle, Sybase, DB2.... and Win95, WinNT 4.0.
I've never heard any of these vendors say to us: "Hey, if you use a product of one of our competitors, you want get a good deal from us!"

Am I scared the company will suddenly stop using Unix and Oracle and switch to Win2K and SQLServer 2000? NO, because contrary to what most people think, our managment isn't THAT stupid.

You have some good points but If Microsoft wanted to, they could
use Windows puters attached to Net to destroy the WORLD as we know it today !!!!!!MS can access the home or buisness puters at will.
Allowing China in the WOrld Trade Order is NOT a good idea at all!!
They allready have our Nuke secrets and now will have our jobs.
Lets see what are some good words here?
REVOLUTION ATTACK PRESIDENT CASTRO SECURITY CIA FBI UNDERGROUND
WAR HACK CRACK COCAIN DRUGS
That auta get their robots moving :)

You're kidding, right?

More protectionist bulls***...

Roj

are you saying you're a racist or a nationalist? Or just against communism in general?

But not allowing China in the World Trade Order is a bad idea. It's business and commerce. Politicians have to find a way to reduce this trillion dollar deficit we have due to their personal spendings.

Heh, you might have a point there but I'm sure that Microsoft has plenty of backup generators and fuel to last 10 years in reserve. So **** the DOJ, they are a bunch of old retards that don't have a clue about computers. Prolly live in log cabins and drive Model T Fords........ Old a******s

and get this, most of those a******s actually have higher standards of living disguised as their governmental expenditures. On paper, their $100k salaries may only be a third of Bill Gates, but their total tally on personal expenditures run well into the multiple millions.

Welp, got RC1 of WinME today... i wonder how far they get before they shut it down? But, knowing MS, they won't till the military is called in to take them out. (Or someone unplugs the electricity). heh

how do you like rc1