This article helps individual customers to measure just how much power Microsoft can excersize over their freedom to pick and chose their own applications.  This illustration does use candy but you can substitute any undesired product you want for IE.  The force is the same.  Each individual reader can measure it for their particular case.  Also see the "JawBreaker deal".

Microsoft has priced the upgrade product 98 at about $100. Based upon my estimates that the R&D for the browser is 70% of the total spent on developing the product, I have estimated that $70 of the $100 for the upgrade is for IE.

Lets take out IE. In its place, lets put 7 cases of bubblegum. (Assume $10 a box.)

Now. For each Microsoft customer that wants to upgrade their system, they get 95 fixed and 7 cases of bubblegum.

What do you do?

1. Buy the bubblegum deal (you get 98 plus 7 cases of bubblegum)

2. Switch your OS (please submit details of which applications you can take with you, which applications you must by new and how much you are willing to spend on training and converting the data to the new OS)

3. Don't ever upgrade again (CP/M city)

Which choice do you make? This is a hypothetical. But, within the rules you must pick #1, #2 or #3.

Keep in mind that the bubblegum is integrated (the monitor does a cheek check each time you boot up...then you can spit out the gum if you want). You can also buy spearmint gum too if you want, but it costs extra. (actually cases of spearmint are free at the door when you leave the store). And, of course you do not need to chew the gum. (you can actually leave it wrapped and tucked inside your cheek).

Now. Assume that Microsoft did that.

What do you do?

Lewis A. Mettler, Esq.