more on Microsoft Plans For Automatic Hobbling of "Pirated" Vista Systems

[David Farber <dave () farber net>]

Begin forwarded message:

From: "David P. Reed" <dpreed () reed com>
Date: October 4, 2006 12:34:10 PM EDT
To: dave () farber net
Cc: ip () v2 listbox com
Subject: Re: [IP] Microsoft Plans For Automatic Hobbling of "Pirated"  
Vista Systems

I don't always agree with Lauren, but on this one, I do.

There must be a few people in the Microsoft leadership (Ballmer,  
perhaps?) who have come to view their customers as enemies or at  
least peons who must bow down to the power of Microsoft in all things.

Microsoft sees pirates - and it blames its customers.

Microsoft sees pirates, and it lays a minefield in the path of all  
its customers, to blow up anyone unsuspecting enough to walk into  
that minefield.

Microsoft behaves, in other words, like any power-mad dictator who  
feels the need to punish the many for the problems it suffers from  
the few.

Is this the only approach that might make sense?   I guess it is when  
your management adopts a paranoid mindset.

I'd suggest an alternative: think creatively about how to encourage  
customers to see the value you deliver.   Stop building your success  
on "controlling the market" and "lockin" that delivers not new value,  
but instead late, buggy crap with a few features thrown in.


-------------------------------------
You are subscribed as lists-ip () insecure org
To manage your subscription, go to
 http://v2.listbox.com/member/?listname=ip

Archives at: http://www.interesting-people.org/archives/interesting-people/