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- Path: sparky!uunet!cs.utexas.edu!zaphod.mps.ohio-state.edu!uwm.edu!spool.mu.edu!umn.edu!news.cs.indiana.edu!noose.ecn.purdue.edu!ecn.purdue.edu!helz
- From: helz@ecn.purdue.edu (Randall A Helzerman)
- Subject: Re: ftc and ms
- Message-ID: <1992Dec22.200742.28629@noose.ecn.purdue.edu>
- Sender: news@noose.ecn.purdue.edu (USENET news)
- Organization: Purdue University Engineering Computer Network
- References: <1992Dec21.154910.6846@kth.se> <1992Dec21.164545.28198@tc.cornell.edu> <Bzn3M2.IvJ@csfb1.fir.fbc.com> <1992Dec22.045145.15784@tc.cornell.edu> <BzoA3B.M18@csfb1.fir.fbc.com>
- Date: Tue, 22 Dec 1992 20:07:42 GMT
- Lines: 28
-
- In article <BzoA3B.M18@csfb1.fir.fbc.com>, jbrock@csfb1.fir.fbc.com (John Brock) writes:
- |>
- |> I'm not real interested in arguing the details of this particular
- |> case. I made a general statement about the free market system, which
- |> is that it is flawed in that it allows monopolies, and that we try to
- |> patch this flaw by interfering with the market.
-
- In all of history (before or after the antitrust laws, or in a country
- today which doesn't have anti-trust laws) which became a monopoly?
-
- The only monopolies I can think of are things like the post office,
- utilites, etc which are illegal to compete against. Really, the free
- market system is highly intolerant of big behemothic companies, especially
- in high tech areas which move as quickly as software. A monopoly usually
- requires a goverment to make competing with it illegal. If you don't
- believe me try to name a counter example.
-
- |> suspect you are one of these people. So I guess my question is are you
- |> defending Microsoft because you don't think it has behaved in such a
- |> way as to warrent interference, or because you think it is always
- |> immoral to interfere with the free market?
-
- I am defending Microsoft because I believe that it is always wrong to
- steal from somebody, which is exactly what the FTC is trying to do.
- Using vague words like "anticompetative practices" and "unfair" just
- confuses the issue. Tell it like it is. The FTC is threatening to
- rob at gunpoint Microsoft's trade secrets. That is immoral and wrong
- under any circuimstances.
-