I must apologize... 10097

True or not, it wasn't a Be decision for putting them on machines. Sure, they might have negotiated things. But the decision was Hiatachi's. Until, that is. MICROS~1 decided all decisions by anyone belong to them.

Let me remove some more of that straw.

I made no statement, indication, argument or in any other way claimed that at any point in time would Be be the sole OS on any machine sold by Hitachi.

Hitachi was going to include it. HITACHI, -NOT- Be. If HITACHI decided to put 47 operating systems on one drive, that should be 100% Hitachi's decision. If they wanted to ship blank drives, that should be 100% Hitachi's decision. If they wanted to ship 800 drives in swappable trays, that should be 100% Hitachi's decision.

Once Hitachi makes a decision, they have to be concerned with how customers are going to greet that decision.

The decision was wrested from Hitachi by a crimnal enterprise that tossed threats around until they capitulated.

Who was hurt? Customers. Perhaps Hitachi. Maybe even Be. Us, for certain.

Hitachi should have had multiple decisions to make, some sooner, some later: What does it cost to provide both? Is it worth it? Do purchasers like the idea, or is it hurting sales? Should any machines only have BeOS on them? Should the line be expanded to maybe include other OSes? Should some machines be dedicated to just certain ones and marketed that way?

Hitachi had only one decision to make: Sell crapware products and do exactly as the crooks told them to do, or sell products without $CRAPWARE on it and hope to survive.

See above. Please, PLEASE, show me where I indicated a Be-only machine. Then argue with your finding.

I'm not selling lemonade.

If you have trouble telling the difference between someone making a conscious decision and someone being forced to do something, further explanation isn't going to make it more understandble. What it might do is give you more opportunity to set up some more straw. I'll pbutt.

They aren't "riding their coattails" if another party is making the decisions to pbutt things along.

By your logic, Best Buy shouldn't be able to add more memory to a Hitachi laptop as part of a package deal because they're using Hitachi to sell more of their other products. After all, it could be said that Best Buy is "riding Hitachi's coattails".

That's a stupid claim to try making, Erik. Even for you.

To "ride...coattails" would require Be to make decisions and demands of their own. Be didn't make the decisions. Hitachi made the decisions.

Until a croooked enterprise forced them to unmake the decisions.

Be made some deals maybe, but the decisions weren't theirs to make.

1. I walk up to you, put a gun to your head and take your wallet.

2. I walk up to you and ask you to let me have your wallet.

Which of those gives you a REASONABLE choice? Who is making the choice?

ME: dual-boot

YOU: Be-only

ME: NO! NOT Be-only

YOU: Be-only

ME: NO!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! Dual-boot

YOU: Be-only

Change the song. Then get back to me.

-- How dare the government intervene to stifle innovation in the computer industry! That's Microsoft's job, dammit!