Yeah, I guess that makes sense. But still, I think Microsoft is a considerable variable in the progress of IT, and not favorable.

Check your Websters:

The key words are "selfish and unrestrained."

I think that mountaintop removal mining might be one of the exhibits in that case.

Flown over West Virginia lately?

I'm not convinced.

I agree with you, in part. The reason I say in part, is because it is not just MS's use of proprietary formats which creates that bottleneck...but also the fact that so many consumers just use them and go along with whatever MS shoves down their throats. The more of us who use FOSS....the more that will change.

When shopping for a new printer recently, I naturally chose one whose manufacturer oofers Linux drivers. I will now not buy any computer-related product that is not Linux compatible. Some companies have already gotten the idea...and who knows, maybe one day, MS will be the one trying to keep up with FOSS standards, because their customers will demand it as Linux users become more common.

they DO lock out some hardware from other O/Ss by writing drivers in exchange for a NDA
a good example of this is cannon printers
if you can't get information about a device you can't write a driver for it
I have even heard apple users bitching about this

SigTerm
For the benefit of us that are not as enlightened/well-educated as you obviously are, can you explain why greed is not bad?

I think I've had enough of SigTerm's genius arguments for a while ... on the ignore list you go.

Doesn't slow me down at all, and in fact, HELPS me quite a bit. The code I write obeys the standards, and since I KNOW them, they're easy to follow. So, for point (1), I don't use workarounds, since the 'platform' doesn't matter. Firefox and Chrome run on all platforms, and if I'm writing a piece of 'fat' code/client, I write it the way *I* see fit. MS doesn't enter into it at all. And (2), when ISN'T there a new technology to learn?? Are you so young or naive that you think there's some point when you quit learning?
Once again, MS does NOT stifle standards setters, since THEY DO NOT CARE WHAT MS DOES. You obviously don't pay attention to what folks here have been saying, leading again to a stronger suspicion of yet another 'troll' thread.

Absolutely. Microsoft's not the only culpable party. Consumers as well as many of us in the open-source camp are responsible too. Yet if Microsoft would conform, that change in itself would turn the tide of the others. By ourselves we can't change gravity much, but the mass of MSoft could.

That shows conviction. What resources have you found most accomodating when shopping?

Absolutely not! Young and sometimes ignorant as a programmer, yes. Forsaking very careful study, never. As a very wise person said millenia ago, "Wisdom is the principle thing, therefore get wisdom. Though it costs all you have, get understanding." And that's a principle I live by.

I don't quite understand what your saying here. Are you saying you only write code for open-source apps? For example, if you were writing a script to run in a browser, wouldn't you give consideration to IE?

Really? So then why do you persist in this thread, when your point has been addressed MANY TIMES, but the things people are saying appear to fall on deaf ears? There is no "Microsoft Scheme"...no conspiracy, and MS doesn't hold anyone back from anything. Re-read all the replies you've got since opening this thread, and they're all basically saying the same thing.
No, and you should apply your "careful study" principle to what people are telling you; there is little left to interpretation, unless you're very young, very naive, or are just a troll.

I write code that obeys the STANDARD. I do NOT write work-arounds...if it doesn't work, I lay the blame where it needs to go, and that would be on IE. If I write a piece of client software to run stand-alone, again, I write it to obey the standards (SQL, TCP/IP, etc.), and don't put in ANYTHING that doesn't, or that the software doesn't need, period.

Okay, that puts what your saying in much better perspective. But I thought it was the programmers job to accomodate all platforms, especially when writing web pages, unless it's only on an intranet or something and everyone's running standards-compliant browsers.

Not quite. It is programmers job to accommodate all platforms their customers use. Which is smaller number than "all platforms". Normally I'd expect developer to have some idea about "target audience", and programmer's job is to find a compromise that will satisfy entire audience without wasting too much development time. Not all software can be made to run anywhere.

Same applies to web pages. You don't expect to see flash animation or background image in links when it is running in terminal, right?

MS is not likely to do that though, until such time as the market demands it [i.e. if so many people are using Linux, that Windows users become concerned with having products that support FOSS formats), because their proprietary formats are a key to them maintaining their market share and making a profit. The most common argument I hear for people being reluctant to abandon Windows, is the fear of incompatibility with their peers who use Windows/MS products. It's a vicious cycle. In such a scenario, the one who gets the lion's share of the market first, controls the formats to a large extent...until such time as their customers become disgusted and seek alternatives.- Which is exactly what happened with me.



It's pretty much a case-by-case thing. User reviews...specialty sites, like openprinting.org...checking manufacturer's websites...and of course, advice from this forum- which is invaluable to a noob like myself. (I'm VERY pleased with the performance of my Brother Laser printer)