Xref: utzoo comp.sys.apple:5298 comp.sys.ibm.pc:14284 comp.windows.misc:447
Path: utzoo!mnetor!uunet!husc6!bbn!uwmcsd1!marque!studsys!jetzer
From: jetzer@studsys.mu.edu (jetzer)
Newsgroups: comp.sys.apple,comp.sys.ibm.pc,comp.windows.misc
Subject: Re: Apple Lawsuit (was BOYCOTT APPLE, etc.)
Message-ID: <106@studsys.mu.edu>
Date: 9 Apr 88 14:58:05 GMT
References: <292@unicom.UUCP> <663@csm9a.UUCP> <4283@dandelion.CI.COM> <394@upvax.UUCP>
Organization: Marquette University - Milwaukee, Wisconsin
Lines: 53
Keywords: Microsoft, HP New Wave, Xerox, Lawsuit
Summary: Poor analogy

In article <394@upvax.UUCP>, stevewa@upvax.UUCP (Steve Ward) writes:
> In article <453@xroads.UUCP> tgm@xroads.UUCP (Sloan Tash) writes:
> >Wouldn't that just be a shame (if Apple won..). The other companies would
> >have
> >to come up with their own ideas. Given that Apple did take the concept from
> >Xerox, they developed it far beyond anything Xerox did. If the other
> >companies
> >want to take the same ideas that Apple started with, I don't think there
> >would
> >be a problem.. It's that they want to take Apple's ideas straight across.

> I disagree with your stand on a couple of points...

> 1.  Usually it's good that individual companies come up with alternative
>     solutions to a given "problem", but when you're trying to set up a
>     STANDARD it's not such a good idea.  Remember what happened about 12
>     years ago with VCRs?  Two different companies came up with two different
>     solutions to the same problem, namely VHS and Betamax.  The result?
>     several years of confusion for consumers, and a division of the market
>     into two segments which, while basically the same, were cut off from
>     each other by the difference in size of a cassette.


Comparing windowing systems to videotape formats is a poor analogy in several
respects

The difference between VHS and Beta, like between IBM and Mac, is a hardware
difference.  Even though the two tape formats (like computers) work on simliar
concepts (put a magnetic tape in the little slot, press the play button), there
are differences in the way that the information is stored on the tape.  This is
essentially the 'operating system' of the tape.

The computer owners are still "cut off from each other by differences," but
these are hardware differences as well.

Also, nearly everyone will concede that VHS won in the VHS vs Beta battle
(Guess that means that Mac is the VHS and IBM is the Beta :-).  Most VCRs
now in use the VHS format/operating system.  *However*, anyone who makes a
VHS VCR or VHS tape has to pay a royalty to the company who started the
VHS format (JVC, if memory serves me right).  Gee, the setter of a standard
wanting to charge others when they use this format.  Almost sounds familiar, eh?


>  I don't see how anyone benefits from NOT having a
> standard.


I'm sure that Apple wouldn't mind having the Mac windowing system become the
standard.  They just expect to be compensated by people who want to use their
standard.
-- 
Mike Jetzer
"If you can't be right, be forceful"