Corporate Feudalism: The New Economy.

So, the very purpose a computer exists for a writer is going to cost $6 a month by subscription only.

Microsoft replaced DOS. The new disc operating system, the OS, became a saleable product rather than being the engine supplied with the shell. (unlike Apple OS, or even Linux). This led to the anti-monopoly hearings that brought Gates to Washington for a slap on the wrist before the less-government pro-business (anti-market) Republican legislature loosened regulations on business. MS bought Netscape, and killed it. MS bought WordPerfect/Corel, and killed it. The mentality that did away with DOS, its initial competitor had not changed.

Now you will get the (d)OS for free. But everything else is priced to you in perpetuity under nomenclature called services, a misnomer for manufacturing. Presumably to continue the practice of upgrades from releases, which becomes more Charlie than Beta at Alpha prices (in perpetuity). You are not going to buy an Alpha version for $6, lest you need it spelt out.

It used to be you could go to a store and buy an Alpha version of software you then owned – like Wordstar, or Lotus 123, or Corel Draw, or Spycraft: The Great Game, or Wizardry, or MS Office…. Copyright and patent law protected the OEM software manufacturer from competing pirates’ reverse engineering their own version of the product sold in China.

Now, Microsoft simply wants to become the multi-device OS platform for leased software. It becomes too clear for anyone paying attention to this company that MS is not the wisest use of your money unless you like to become a slave to consumption and/or dislike saving money. To me, this smacks of tithing and corporate feudalism and not healthy market competition.

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