Paradigm Shift, Dot-Net and my Arse
 

One of Microsoft's main selling points (and the PC revolution's in general) was taking control away from centralized MIS departments and putting the power on the user's desktop. While I'd have to be stupid not to recognize the effect the internet has had, it's mainly one of scope IMHO, not a major paradigm shift, as Windows gurus keep saying. A web browser, or other thin client, isn't that much different than a dumb terminal. Sure, some processing is done on the client, but most developers strive to keep as much server-side as possible. Obviously we had networks before, but they were small and not directly connected to each other. So, I find it more than a little ironic that M$ is moving back in the other direction. Returning control to centralized servers and reducing my PC to nothing more than a dumb terminal, unable to do anything without being connected to the network. Seems to me that's the entire dot-net strategy. I, personally, consider this nothing less than a stab in the back. They've sold out their loyal customer base to corporate (and government) interests who always viewed PC users as dangerous renegades. It's equally ironic that a Unix based OS, once prefered by centralized MIS (later called just IS and recently IT) departments, like Linux is now Microsoft's greatest threat. My, how the worm turns! ;)

Just had to get that off my chest. :D

Okay, I'll bite. This isn't a matter of MS wanting to control the information. What MS wants to control is the ability to transfer information from one point to another. MS could care less if your information is in .doc format, they just want to make sure that when you send it to another user, you're paying them something, in some way, and smiling about how wonderful MS is for allowing you to do so.

The information isn't important. It's the transfer of that information that is the key.