Xref: utzoo comp.sys.apple:4857 comp.sys.ibm.pc:13633 comp.windows.misc:383 Path: utzoo!mnetor!uunet!steinmetz!ge-dab!codas!pdn!ken From: ken@pdn.UUCP (Ken Auer) Newsgroups: comp.sys.apple,comp.sys.ibm.pc,comp.windows.misc Subject: Re: BOYCOTT APPLE Message-ID: <2620@pdn.UUCP> Date: 24 Mar 88 15:24:07 GMT References: <292@unicom.UUCP> Reply-To: ken@pdn.UUCP (0000-Ken Auer) Organization: Paradyne Corporation, Largo, Florida Lines: 73 Keywords: Microsoft, HP New Wave, Xerox, Lawsuit Summary: Amen! In article <292@unicom.UUCP> daniel@unicom.UUCP (Dan Smith, not your average Lithuanian...) writes: > In case you haven't heard by now, Apple is suing Microsoft *and* >HP for alledgedly copying the look and feel of the Mac interface. My gut >feeling is that I expect this sort of behavior from IBM, not Apple. > > [stuff deleted about how Apple should follow SUN and Borland's lead > and license out there technology... with which I agree]. > > I think that Microsoft and HP should be allowed to do what they are >doing, and that Apple should conceentrate on making their own products that >much better...A/UX certainly needs a lot more time! ... A lot of software products exist due to the fact that company A's competition sees some flaws in Company B's product, so it duplicates the good points and comes up with (what it perceives to be) improvements to the bad points. Company A in turn improves it further, etc. It's called "competition", "free enterprise", and all kinds of other words and phrases that make Americans patriotic for a few fleeting seconds. I think Apple's getting a bit carried away with the visual copyright laws of the U.S. Of course the visual copyright laws allow them to get carried away (but that's another flame altogether). Gee, I wonder who was the first company to use sexual innuendos in blue jean commercials... could they sue the pants off the competition? :-) Imagine if Apple wins! What will that mean to the advancement of user interface systems? systems that are built on top of them? In the computer world (and the world in general) there are very few completely original ideas. We all know that the Mac user interface wasn't completely original. Where are we going to draw the line on this crap. Who invented a keyboard... can they sue everybody else for producing another device with the same "look and feel" as there original device... (can I buy stock in their company? :-) Obviously, Apple is a corporation who is trying to make big bucks, and sueing their competition seems like a good way to do it. However, isn't Apple really saying, "Hey, we were the ones to make nifty windowing systems with mouse interfaces widely available, and we don't like having people come up with better versions of it. We know we didn't come out with the perfect product, but we'll get around to making it better REAL SOON NOW... it's not fair that other company's have technically competent people that can do it quicker than us." If they didn't think the competition was better, why sue? What could they get in damages? :-) > You know, it might not be such a bad idea for users/developers to >let Apple know, if only for a day, how they feel about this. Perhaps we >should Boycott Apple for one day - don't buy Apple products, don't develop >Apple Software/Hardware, as a protest. Is April 1 too early for this? >It's an appropriate day to show Apple that they are being foolish! I feel >this is a very important topic to explore, hence the cross posting. It's >important that Apple feel the response of the user community. I don't think one day will do anything, especially since there's tons of people out there that won't boycott. I was seriously thinking of buying a MacII, but I'm seriously reconsidering it now. I'm also not one to write letters to corporations or congressman, but I'm also planning on doing so now. I always thought Apple was a company that really wanted to advance the state of the art, but alas... reality. They're just afraid of a little competition. Hey Apple, see figure 1. -------------------------------------------------------------------------- Ken Auer Paradyne Corporation {gatech,rutgers,attmail}!codas!pdn!ken Mail stop LF-207 Phone: (813) 530-8307 P.O. Box 2826 Largo, FL 34649-9981 "The views expressed above do not necessarily reflect the views of my employer, which by no means makes them incorrect."