And you call MICROSOFT a Monopoly?

I am sick to death of Mac snobs. In variably in any discussion with Mac fanbois, they will cry about Microsoft being a monopoly.

Yeah, uh huh. Keep crying because your computer manufacturer was insanely stupid. The computer company that really brought the idea of upgradeability to personal computing, now puts out boxes that can't be upgraded. The computer company that started serious work on GUI, yet didn't have the foresight to protect it so that Microsoft could use it to create competing operating systems.

But, see, that's only the tip of the iceberg. If you look back at the monopolies that started antitrust legislation, they controlled the suppliers of raw goods, the manufaturing plants, the distribution plants. Basically they controlled costs because all of their suppliers belonged to them.

That doesn't sound like Microsoft, it sounds like Apple.

Quick. Name me three major PC manufacturers. Even the brain dead could come up with HP, Gateway, and Dell. Now, name me three major Mac manufacturers. Apple. (crickets chirp).

Ok, ok, so maybe that wasn't completely fair. Walk into the computer store and ask for a new video card for your iMac (will you crickets STOP that d*** chirping?!?)

Maybe I've given you guys a bum rap. Why don't you just give me the URL of a supplier where I can buy Mac OS/10 to install on my PC (ok, that cricket chirping is getting SERIOUSLY annoying!!!!)

Microsoft may be annoying. Microsoft may engage in less than perfect business practices. But Microsoft is an O/S, they have nothing to do with the BUILDING of my computer, and they don't lock the system from upgrades. I can buy components off the shelf to build a PC, and honestly, the choice of whether to install Windows on that computer is entirely mine. Nobody forced me to do it. I CAN pick from several Linux distros. Yes, I might have to work harder to install them and make them functional, but that's part of exercising choice.

Those choices aren't widely available on a Mac. If Microsoft is the Devil, then Apple is certainly the devil's wetnurse, the evil she demon of an O/S and OEM monopoly combined. But since Mac has a piddly share of the market, nobody seems to give a rat's heinie.