3 ms·

No. And it's a shame that so much ignorance has crept into it. Microsoft aggressively bullied OEMs like Compaq into not pre-installing Netscape on their comput

No. And it's a shame that so much ignorance has crept into it. Microsoft aggressively bullied OEMs like Compaq into not pre-installing Netscape on their computers. They made co-advertising deals worth tens of millions and access to internal programs contingent on it. Bill Gates back then was pretty ruthless when it came to competition.

Drakim 4y ago
I'm confused, if Apple opened up to other browsers and software, but then started bullying AT&T to not pre-install chrome or firefox, then they would be in trouble? But locking the possibility out on hardware is acceptable? Isn't it a much more tyrannical action to have complete control over what software users can install, as opposed to simply using bullying and incentives to argue about what software may and may not be per-installed? At least on windows I could opt to install Netscape myself even if it wasn't pre-installed, isn't that the much lesser evil?
bmitc 4y ago
How exactly is that lesser than Apple not even allowing app vendors to install their actual browsers, instead forcing them to use a subset of an API that Apple itself fully uses? Or what Apple has done repeatedly to Spotify and others? Apple forces Spotify to add a premium to their app price or take a hit in price compared to Apple's direct offering, while explicitly disallowing Spotify to even communicate to customers that a Spotify subscription, which has zero relationship to Apple, can be bought elsewhere? This allows Apple to gobble up millions and probably billions of app store purchases that do not require the app store aside from Apple's bullying of "abide or get off the platform" approach. Beyond their walled garden that prevents even the opportunity of bullying in many cases, Apple is absolutely one of if not the biggest bully in the entire tech industry.

3 ms·

No. And it's a shame that so much ignorance has crept into it. Microsoft aggressively bullied OEMs like Compaq into not pre-installing Netscape on their comput

by threeseed 4y ago

Drakim 4y ago
I'm confused, if Apple opened up to other browsers and software, but then started bullying AT&T to not pre-install chrome or firefox, then they would be in trouble? But locking the possibility out on hardware is acceptable? Isn't it a much more tyrannical action to have complete control over what software users can install, as opposed to simply using bullying and incentives to argue about what software may and may not be per-installed? At least on windows I could opt to install Netscape myself even if it wasn't pre-installed, isn't that the much lesser evil?
bmitc 4y ago
How exactly is that lesser than Apple not even allowing app vendors to install their actual browsers, instead forcing them to use a subset of an API that Apple itself fully uses? Or what Apple has done repeatedly to Spotify and others? Apple forces Spotify to add a premium to their app price or take a hit in price compared to Apple's direct offering, while explicitly disallowing Spotify to even communicate to customers that a Spotify subscription, which has zero relationship to Apple, can be bought elsewhere? This allows Apple to gobble up millions and probably billions of app store purchases that do not require the app store aside from Apple's bullying of "abide or get off the platform" approach. Beyond their walled garden that prevents even the opportunity of bullying in many cases, Apple is absolutely one of if not the biggest bully in the entire tech industry.