Microsoft's domination of the OS market.

Credit: Steve Rhodes from Flickr

     We both looked at the computer in grim acceptance. It wasn't working, and that was pretty much the last trick I had up my sleeve. After trying for hours, there was simply no getting passed it. Microsoft had prevented, by all means, that more than 10 computers connect in a work group at any given time. Recently my father, not being aware of this, had bought his eleventh computer for his small, medical office which exclusively uses electronic medical records. This essentially gave him two options: throw away his computer, or spend over 3,000 dollars to buy Windows 2003 Server for his office.

     Both of these options seem just as ridiculous. Windows XP and the network in my dad's office can certainly handle a substantial number of computers. However Microsoft forces the consumer to purchase their insanely expensive server software if anyone wants to connect more than a meager 10 computers. In this day and age, in which everything is being computerized, small businesses are regularly connecting larger numbers of computers. Microsoft takes advantage of the fact that they have control over everything Windows XP can and can't do, and the vast monopoly they have over the operating system market. More than anything, they take advantage of customers that have certain needs, and have absolutely no choice but to buy Microsoft's blatantly overpriced software.

     Microsoft's smug confidence in their market position shows up in every mediocre product they release. And yes, I'm absolutely talking about Windows Vista, Microsoft Office 2007 and every other nearly unusable piece of software they come up with. Microsoft clearly thought that no matter how bad Windows Vista was they would still be able to sell it by having it pre-installed in every new computer, like they always did with XP. With this mentality, there is absolutely no reason for Microsoft to try to make Windows decent, it's going to sell no matter what simply because it's the only thing people can use when they buy a computer. There's no incentive for innovation or real improvement at all. 

     I guess what I'm trying to say is I'm sick and tired of Microsoft's control over the computer industry, and I think a lot of other people are too. There are even some manufacturers that are beginning to install Ubuntu Linux on their computers, to save people money and save them from Vista. Hopefully this trend will continue and manufacturers and consumers will continue to push Microsoft back and create a competitive environment in the computer operating system market.