At 03:50 PM 16/05/2000 +1000, Bill Bartlett wrote:

>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.

Not necessarily true, Bill.  There could be no owners.

http://www.fsf.org/philosophy/free-sw.html

>  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.

This is correct.  A break up will not change all that much.  Windows should
be released under the GPL http://www.fsf.org/copyleft/gpl.html In fact, all
software should be released under the GPL.  Watch Mumpismus froth at the
mouth after reading just what the GPL describes...

Alister

"If anarchists are capable of authoritarian attitudes ... I should
no more hail one as a comrade, sight unseen, than I would a state
trooper or used-car dealer.  The label is not a warranty."
         -- My Anarchism Problem by Bob Black --