There are too many things I need to share with you regarding MS vs competition during DOS and Windows era, and you need to be familiar with PC during 1980 - 1990 era, before you can really know what kind of company MS was during that era.
What is the first windows you use ? I used Windows 286/386 (not many people are even aware of that OS, which is a precursort of Windows 3.0, Windows 3.1, Windows 3.11 for Workgroup). I used IBM DOS 3.3, 4.0, DR-DOS 6.0 and 7.0, I used OS/2 (a very difficult OS to install and setup, unlike Windows 3.0 and Windows 3.1). I have used Quarterdeck QEMM etc. Just trust me that there is a plus and minus to standardization compared to customisation. During DOS era, there was no problem in compatibilites, except those that are introduced by Microsoft, specifically to kill competition (IBM, Digital Research, the creator of CPM, which command, like dir, MS-DOS copy).
I do like free things, which is why I like Linux. However, when talking about unfair competition, that is what Microsoft do to Netscape (and what later on, Open Source did to Microsoft for the OS). I am not talking about how IE benefit Microsoft directly (it is only indirectly).
Have you ever installed Mac ? Or Linux ? There is no problem with installation, except when the driver of the H/W is incompatible. In Mac, if you use Mac OS (Leopard, OS X), there shouldn't be any problem, since Mac machine are fully tested and have proper driver in the OS (unless you bought third party VGA card that don't have proper driver for OS X).
FYI, I am in the IT Business, and I sell IT equipment (H/W, S/W), and I was in this industry from a long time ago, so I know what I am talking about. I remember my TRS-80, the first PC I use.
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There are too many things I need to share with you regarding MS vs competition during DOS and Windows era, and you need to be familiar with PC during 1980 - 1990 era, before you can really know what kind of company MS was during that era.
What is the first windows you use ? I used Windows 286/386 (not many people are even aware of that OS, which is a precursort of Windows 3.0, Windows 3.1, Windows 3.11 for Workgroup). I used IBM DOS 3.3, 4.0, DR-DOS 6.0 and 7.0, I used OS/2 (a very difficult OS to install and setup, unlike Windows 3.0 and Windows 3.1). I have used Quarterdeck QEMM etc. Just trust me that there is a plus and minus to standardization compared to customisation. During DOS era, there was no problem in compatibilites, except those that are introduced by Microsoft, specifically to kill competition (IBM, Digital Research, the creator of CPM, which command, like dir, MS-DOS copy).
I do like free things, which is why I like Linux. However, when talking about unfair competition, that is what Microsoft do to Netscape (and what later on, Open Source did to Microsoft for the OS). I am not talking about how IE benefit Microsoft directly (it is only indirectly).
Have you ever installed Mac ? Or Linux ? There is no problem with installation, except when the driver of the H/W is incompatible. In Mac, if you use Mac OS (Leopard, OS X), there shouldn't be any problem, since Mac machine are fully tested and have proper driver in the OS (unless you bought third party VGA card that don't have proper driver for OS X).
FYI, I am in the IT Business, and I sell IT equipment (H/W, S/W), and I was in this industry from a long time ago, so I know what I am talking about. I remember my TRS-80, the first PC I use.