[ale] Re: This bites (was Re: [ale] More on Mozilla/Java)

[Jeff Hubbs]

>
>
>
>Assuming my memory serves me correctly (big if!) a local box builder told
>me about three years ago that her wholesale cost on Windows was $80
>dollars. No manual. Just the software liscence. Dell & others spend
>somewhat less on a higher volume contract.
>
That sounds about right in the Win9x timeframe.  Dunno what the numbers 
would be for Win2K or XP.  

Part of the disillusionment I started to feel with MS products c. 1998 
came from this thing where you had an OS issue but MS wouldn't talk to 
you; you had to go to your PC vendor.  That's an arrangement that's 
bound to give you inferior service BUT it served MS' purposes if for no 
other reason than they didn't have to bear the admin overhead required 
to support the army of techs it takes to convince Grandma Bertie in 
Sarasota that no, that is NOT an electrically-powered cup holder in the 
front of the computer case.  This also means that if you actually have a 
problem with an MS product that's actually attributable to a bug, MS is 
effectively insulated from your bleats.  

- Jeff


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