OT: Keep Internet Explorer or MS products?

[Charles Martin]

> rom: Brian Pearce <bpearce at cloud9.net>
> Putting aside the irrational need some people have to eliminate all
> Microsoft products from their computers based solely on the fact that
> it comes from Microsoft; that decision depends entirely on what
> features you need to use.

The desire to rid oneself of MS products is not "irrational." It is a 
moral decision usually based on the company's absolutely horrific 
business ethics (or lack thereof), and their proven-fact abuse of their 
monopoly power.

I own and use MS products, but if MS Office's proprietary format wasn't 
the de facto standard for business communications, I could have 
actually saved myself HUNDREDS of dollars by buying an alternative. 
Multiply that by ALL the people who feel that way and you end up with 
literally tens of billions of dollars given to a company that most 
people feel doesn't do right by them.

> Practically speaking, Internet Explorer is free, and it doesn't take up
> too much space on your hard disc. What would be the point in not
> keeping it, just in case you need it?

It's a statement for some people. And I have to admit that it's great 
when you can tell a PC switcher that they have a CHOICE -- that they 
don't HAVE to shell out the big bucks for MS Office if they don't want 
to, or that they don't HAVE to use a slow, insecure, buggy browser if 
they don't want to. That you can SHOW them a 100% Microsoft-free 
computer doing ALL the things a MS-laden computer can do.

It's more choice than PC people have. We should be grateful for that.

_Chas_
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