3 ms·

Just for discussion, do you think Microsoft's dominance has increased or decreased since they last had antitrust action against them in the 90s?

chrisco255 6y ago
Yeah, Microsoft has become huge, but if you want to avoid MS products or services, it's very practical to do so these days. That wasn't the case in late 90s/early 2000s.
- loudmax 6y ago
  Unless you happen to need to exchange Office type documents with other entities. In that case you'll need the MS Office suite for compatibility. Or your business needs niche software that only happens to exist for Windows. Or if your business's core competency isn't technology related and you don't want to pay a premium for Apple products or hire a top tier IT staff to manage open source infrastructure. Get out of the tech industry and see what most enterprise IT infrastructure looks like. It does not look like a healthy competitive market.
  - mercer 6y ago
    I'm inclined to believe Microsoft still doesn't quite has the (understandably challenged) dominance it once had, but your comment gives me pause. Perhaps its stranglehold is still worth challenging? EDIT: Playing fast and loose, my characterization of the current climate is that the monopoly is more diffuse, shared with Google and Apple and Facebook, but the end result is that we've ended up with a 'triopoly' that is just as dangerous as Microsoft's monopoly was at one point in time. We're not that much better off, and the arsenal of countermeasures is much weaker in dealing with these new monopolies.
wolco 6y ago
I would say increased but at a lower rate than apple or google.
- stu2b50 6y ago
  The advent of the smartphone really damaged Microsofts monopoly imo. Windows use to be the only way to do computery things for everyman, but now people browse, check email, and consume content on their smart phone/devices. The advent of the web as a platform for applications also made OS lock-in less of a thing.

chrisco255 6y ago

Yeah, Microsoft has become huge, but if you want to avoid MS products or services, it's very practical to do so these days. That wasn't the case in late 90s/early 2000s.

loudmax 6y ago
Unless you happen to need to exchange Office type documents with other entities. In that case you'll need the MS Office suite for compatibility. Or your business needs niche software that only happens to exist for Windows. Or if your business's core competency isn't technology related and you don't want to pay a premium for Apple products or hire a top tier IT staff to manage open source infrastructure. Get out of the tech industry and see what most enterprise IT infrastructure looks like. It does not look like a healthy competitive market.
- mercer 6y ago
  I'm inclined to believe Microsoft still doesn't quite has the (understandably challenged) dominance it once had, but your comment gives me pause. Perhaps its stranglehold is still worth challenging? EDIT: Playing fast and loose, my characterization of the current climate is that the monopoly is more diffuse, shared with Google and Apple and Facebook, but the end result is that we've ended up with a 'triopoly' that is just as dangerous as Microsoft's monopoly was at one point in time. We're not that much better off, and the arsenal of countermeasures is much weaker in dealing with these new monopolies.

wolco 6y ago

I would say increased but at a lower rate than apple or google.

stu2b50 6y ago
The advent of the smartphone really damaged Microsofts monopoly imo. Windows use to be the only way to do computery things for everyman, but now people browse, check email, and consume content on their smart phone/devices. The advent of the web as a platform for applications also made OS lock-in less of a thing.