4 ms·

The microsoft ones? Where they werent allowed to package their media player with windows? Isnt itunes/apple significantly worse in the freedom to choose your s

The microsoft ones? Where they werent allowed to package their media player with windows? Isnt itunes/apple significantly worse in the freedom to choose your software?

mtgx 8y ago
Apple didn't/doesn't have a monopoly. Anti-trust rules are meant to encourage competition/restrain monopolists in order to help consumers (as stronger competition = win for consumers). You can argue whether or not that's "fair" for monopolists, just like you can argue that it's not fair that your taxes are redistributed to pay for someone else' kid to go to school or get healthcare, but that is the goal of anti-trust. But in my humble opinion, nobody should ever cry for a monopolist making billions of dollars a year.
coldtea 8y ago
>Isnt itunes/apple significantly worse in the freedom to choose your software? It's not about choosing your software. You can restrict the software in your platform as much as you want. Just not when you have a monopoly. MS at the time was at 95%+ of the market. As long as there's anybody else with a large chunk, you can do whatever you like restrictions wise. Anybody that don't like it can go there. Now we have Linux as a viable option as well.
- mywacaday 8y ago
  Not convinced Linux is a viable option. For the average consumer it needs to come installed by the manufacturer and a quick look at dell.ie shows the cheapest Ubuntu laptop @ €1168 ($1365)
NeutronStar 8y ago
Apple doesn't force anyone to use it's software except itself. Google forced other companies to bundle Google Play Services on all devices or you don't get to sell Android phones. Apple never forced another company to use it's software on all devices or no devices at all.
lmm 8y ago
> Isnt itunes/apple significantly worse in the freedom to choose your software? Yes they are, and it's upsetting - but, sadly, with apple not being in a monopoly position, not illegal.
tooltalk 8y ago
The difference here is that Apple doesn't sell or distribute their MacOS to other PC OEMs and dictate to them with how and what software packages they ought to ship their PCs. In another word, Apple is free to do whatever it feels like as long as they do it on their own hardware or at Apple retail stores.

The microsoft ones? Where they werent allowed to package their media player with windows? Isnt itunes/apple significantly worse in the freedom to choose your software?

mtgx 8y ago

Apple didn't/doesn't have a monopoly. Anti-trust rules are meant to encourage competition/restrain monopolists in order to help consumers (as stronger competition = win for consumers). You can argue whether or not that's "fair" for monopolists, just like you can argue that it's not fair that your taxes are redistributed to pay for someone else' kid to go to school or get healthcare, but that is the goal of anti-trust. But in my humble opinion, nobody should ever cry for a monopolist making billions of dollars a year.

coldtea 8y ago

>Isnt itunes/apple significantly worse in the freedom to choose your software? It's not about choosing your software. You can restrict the software in your platform as much as you want. Just not when you have a monopoly. MS at the time was at 95%+ of the market. As long as there's anybody else with a large chunk, you can do whatever you like restrictions wise. Anybody that don't like it can go there. Now we have Linux as a viable option as well.

mywacaday 8y ago
Not convinced Linux is a viable option. For the average consumer it needs to come installed by the manufacturer and a quick look at dell.ie shows the cheapest Ubuntu laptop @ €1168 ($1365)

NeutronStar 8y ago

Apple doesn't force anyone to use it's software except itself. Google forced other companies to bundle Google Play Services on all devices or you don't get to sell Android phones. Apple never forced another company to use it's software on all devices or no devices at all.

lmm 8y ago

> Isnt itunes/apple significantly worse in the freedom to choose your software? Yes they are, and it's upsetting - but, sadly, with apple not being in a monopoly position, not illegal.

tooltalk 8y ago

The difference here is that Apple doesn't sell or distribute their MacOS to other PC OEMs and dictate to them with how and what software packages they ought to ship their PCs. In another word, Apple is free to do whatever it feels like as long as they do it on their own hardware or at Apple retail stores.