From: Patrick May <pjm@spe.com>
Date: Sun, 28 Dec 1997 05:12:50 +0800
To: cypherpunks <cypherpunks@cyberpass.net>
Subject: Re: Why I Support Microsoft
In-Reply-To: <3.0.3.32.19971219170957.0300f6f0@earthlink.net>
Message-ID: <4134-Sat27Dec1997125332-0800-Patrick May <pjm@spe.com>
MIME-Version: 1.0
Content-Type: text/plain



[ A bit delayed, due to the holidays. ]

Tim May writes:
 > Anyway, the recent government actions against Microsoft are reprehensible
 > to any person who values liberty. Microsoft is being punished for its
 > success.

     Mr. May and others have addressed the government's abuse of
Microsoft eloquently and well.  It is clear that the DOJ is well out
of constitutional bounds with this litigation.  It is equally clear
that the real problem with Microsoft is that its poorly designed,
bloated, _inelegant_ software is pervasive.

     The solution to both of these problems lies in David Honig's
signature:

 > "Windows 95 is a technologically complex product that is best left
 > alone by the government..."
 > ---MSFT Atty B. Smith

The President should issue an executive order mandating that all
government agencies immediately remove all Microsoft operating systems
from their machines, to be replaced with Linux.  All Microsoft
products should be eliminated as well.  The standard text format
should be LaTeX.  All businesses receiving money from government
contracts should be required to use the same tools.

     This would cut down dramatically on the money spent on software
by the government, eliminate compatibility problems between users of
different versions of Microsoft products, encourage enormous growth in
the Linux software market, and guarantee that Microsoft would never
again be considered a monopoly.  All this without ever entering a
courtroom.

     Perhaps there's a congressman or two out there who'd like to make
some political hay by pushing this from the legislative branch....

Regards,

Patrick May
S P Engineering, Inc.