From: roy@cybrspc.mn.org (Roy M. Silvernail)
Date: Thu, 21 Dec 95 05:10:05 PST
To: cypherpunks@toad.com
Subject: Microsoft Flame[tm] [NOISE]
Message-ID: <951221.063231.9N5.rnr.w165w@cybrspc.mn.org>
MIME-Version: 1.0
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There's a lot of finger waving going on over Microsoft's alleged
predatory practices.  I just want to remind the pro-MS folks of
something.  Microsoft has a documented track record of using
undocumented entry points in their OS and Windows products.  These entry
points allow MS apps to do some things more efficiently than a
competitor which uses the published API.  MS has been known to
rearrange these undocumented calls, resulting in sudden
incompatibilities with competitors.  (remember when Win3.1 came out and
DR-DOS was suddenly unable to run Windows?)  And in the MS countersuit
against Stac Electronics, MS successfully argued that undocumented
system calls were protected as Trade Secret material.

While this isn't the grand-scale conspiracy some people seem to see,
IMHO it's still predatory.  Perhaps the call to separate the OS and apps
divisions is a good idea.  It would be interesting to see if Microsoft
could maintain its edge in applications when it had no sub rosa
advantage in OS access.
- -- 
           Roy M. Silvernail     [ ]      roy@cybrspc.mn.org
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                Key available from pubkey@cybrspc.mn.org

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