Microsoft Hatred FAQ 5146

Lbutte VŒgsūther Karlsen

No, it's dead on.

The reason this is a much worse comparison is that the fries don't determine the nature, to the consumer, of the meal. On the other hand, there is a sense in which all PCs running, say Windows 98, are alike to the consumer. That is, what Microsoft provided is what put the product in its clbutt to the consumer, and to the typical consumer, the meal is a unit.

I'm talking about Burger King corporate, the wholesale distributor and franchise licensor. They control what any enbreasty that wants to sell their branded products can do, and do so very strictly.

The term "independent outlet" is hiding the entire point. Microsoft has no more obligation to sell Windows through independent outlets than Burger Kind corporate has an obligation to sell Whoppers through indepedent outlets, which is none at all. Microsoft elected only to allow Windows to be purchased wholesale through a franchisee like arrangement, so you were no longer a fully independent outlet.

I think the history shows that Microsoft opted for a franchisee-type arrangement for much the same reason Burger King does. They want their company name to have value and bring in customers. To do this, they have to prevent their company name from being buttociated with products that don't provide the experience they want buttociated with their name and they have to prevent companies that draw based on the popularity of Windows but then switch people to other products.

Because Burger King corporate doesn't want a person to see the golden arches, walk in, and get a crappy burger or be told that a competing burger is cheaper and better, they only allow their branded products to be sold at any business that can draw using their name and products. Microsoft, for much the same reasons, resticted people's ability to modify Windows or sell both Windows and competing products.

DS