In defence of the business practices of software giant Microsoft, the Ayn Rand Institute states: "Like an increasing number of big businesses, Microsoft is being punished for being successful, for making products that people want to purchase. The trust-busting power-seekers of the federal and state governments – guided by false philosophic and economic ideas – are trampling on the right of Microsoft and thus on every individual American’s right to life, liberty and the pursuit of happiness."
For those of you who aren’t familiar with her work, Ayn Rand was a writer who believed that a hero was someone who runs a factory, that your own happiness comes first, and that the left is essentially motivated by its own inadequacy and jealousy of the right.
To the victor go the spoils, in other words, and by that logic you could argue that Microsoft deserves its place at the top of the software heap and the right to share its technology, for money, with whomever the company leaders choose.
They are currently involved in one anti-trust suit over software bundling and code sharing that almost resulted in the division of the company into two entities – operating system software and productivity software. Luckily for Microsoft, the ruling didn’t make it through the appeal, but the case is still ongoing.
With the U.S. in a recession, the whole antitrust suit would likely disappear with a slap on the wrist and a promise to try harder, but Microsoft is anything but repentant – if anything the Windows XP operating system, which was released to the public last week with the usual fanfare, is more controversial than any of their previous offerings.
First of all, Microsoft has made several alliances, whereby an XP user will be steered towards those companies.
For example, if you use the graphics feature that allows you to edit and then send your digital photos to a printer, with about four mouse clicks you can send them to Microsoft partner FujiFilm. If you don’t want to use FujiFilm, you’d rather use Kodak or another local processor, it’s slightly more complicated.
If you want to download MP3s, Windows XP can play them but won’t make copies unless you purchase an add-on. Instead, XP will direct you towards music sharing companies that stock Microsoft’s own Windows Media Audio files, which they believe can compete with MP3s on the online music market.
If you’re looking to travel, XP will direct you towards Expedia.com, Microsoft’s own online travel service. If you want news, you’ll be directed towards MSNBC, a partnership between Microsoft and NBC news. If you want to shop online, XP will direct you to the online retailers that they have formed partnerships with.
It’s a subtle nudge, but a lot of people either won’t notice or won’t care that their business is being steered to a select group of companies because the convenience far outweighs the moral implications.
Secondly, XP comes bundled with Microsoft Instant Messenger, Internet Explorer 6, and the latest Windows Media Player – you’re free to switch these features off, but most people won’t bother because they’re good programs.
Special Windows XP introductory offers are also available that are hard to turn down. Future Shop ( www.futureshop.ca ) is offering 128MB of RAM, Mcafee VirusScan 2002, Norton Internet Security, plus a variety of other software for free when you purchase XP.
XP also includes drivers to support a wide variety of multimedia tools, from CD burners, to scanners, to digital video cameras. In total, more than 150 digital media companies will support the various digital multimedia features within XP.
The companies that didn’t make that list may not be supported unless the user downloads or purchases additional software. According to some early reviews of XP, some programs – older software mostly – can’t be added at all.
You’re probably getting the picture – Microsoft is in the process of cornering the digital media market, using its soon-to-be-indispensable software platform as a launching point. That’s a bad thing for all of the other companies in this market that didn’t quite make it into the XP framework.
What isn’t clear is why this is actually a good thing for consumers.
One reason is compatibility – everything designed to work with XP will work with XP to the highest level of performance.
Have you ever downloaded a movie file and then discovered that you don’t have the right media program to watch it? Ever wondered why your computer would crash every time you tried to run two programs simultaneously?
XP is a fresh start, not an update. All the old problems have been taken care of. All future problems have been taken into consideration.
The programmers recognized that more people are using their computers to surf the Web and download music and video than to write spreadsheets.
XP is not about productivity necessarily – although XP users can be very productive with this faster, more adaptable operating system – but utility; the best possible use for the most users.
Another reason is configurability – being able to set up your desktop in such a way that what’s most important to you is front and centre. It takes longer to set up than any previous Windows operating system, but according to reviews it’s worth the time.
Perhaps the main reason to upgrade to PC is a combination of compatibility and configurability – stabilty. XP means fewer crashes and stalls, fewer error windows, easier networking, and better connectivity with your peripherals. You’ll still get the odd crash, but these will be fewer and further between.
For around $140, including the 128MB of RAM and bundled software, you almost can’t go wrong.
While antitrust forces will be watching XP closely to see how it affects the software market, it appears that it’s here to stay.
For reviews of XP, visit www.onmagazine.com , www.cnet.com , www.zdnet.com , www.wired.com , etc.
