If Microsoft is split in two, will it hurt us VB prgrammers

I'm just curious on what you guys think? I love doing VB, but with all the whole court/microsoft thing I tend to worry a little. What do you guys think about it?

the break up will not effect life as we know it. I am talking about anyone at all. All that will happen is you buy windows OS from microsoft operatin systems, inc and their software from microsoft software.inc Nothing will change and the world will still rotate about its axis

it means that microsoft is going down, linux will take over, and that all will be well.

okay, so maybe I'm dreaming.
at least you've got enough time to pick up a new language.

Your reply does make sense. I'm sure that everything will be the same. Soemtimes I just worry alot

What it means is...

As soon as an individual develops a product... Positions their company advantageously within the Marketplace... And others begin to complain loudly that they cannot compete... The Government will come in and proclaim Foul!!! Bust up your venue and let your competitors fill themselves on your hard work and broken company.

Now... If your Bill??? You sign off as overall Chief, and then make yourself head of the Development side of things. While maintaining, through Key-man placement, overall control on both sides of the line.

Forging unique alliances within the Industry.

Is anyone concerned about the Time-Warner/AOL merger??? Not yet! But what will eventually happen to Video and Audio Streaming??? Or MP3, and the music industry???

What if one of us, most likely not me, develops a killer app and copycatters try to mimic our success. But we're already entrenched within the public? Would it be fair to have Uncle Sam come in and tear down your product and let others have it so they could compete with you???

If someone can run a sub-4 minute mile... Is it fair to have someone strap a 75lb pack to their back so a fat guy could run with him in a race??? (Bad example but you get my point!) ;)

As an Entrepreneur... I find the whole thing disheartening.

But... Bill will be fine and VB will continue as long as it's profitable to do so.

vbMarketer

The only real thing is that Microsoft will be forced to document all their APIs, There are a lot of undocumented ones that microsoft kept secret to give themselves an advantage, which in my opiion is fair enough, they're called things like callback64 etc and their interface isn't published, neither is what they do. so even VB programmers will be able to get at them, this will give us a lot more power to get near the OS, which is just great.

Although my sentiments run more along the lines given by vbMarketer, I think that this will be a positive for us VB Programmers in the long run. In order to be competitive, the 2 new microsofts will have to provide better product. Given the comments of ille_pugil, I don't think that I'm the only one sick and tired of the instability of the Windows OS. Although I don't use Linux, I'm glad that they are getting a share of the OS Market, because that will be an incentive for MS to do some real work on their product. The same goes for their software... I hope Borland and others continue to make improvements to their products so MS has incentive to do the same with theirs.

I don't know how many of you were around when the government did the same thing to Ma Bell and created a bunch of baby Bells... but if you do remember, I think you'll agree that the phone service has improved over the last 20 years with a pretty big jump in product innovation. I'm hoping the same happens here.

[Edited by jcouture100 on 05-02-2000 at 09:23 AM]

I aggree.

I worked for AT&T for some time (Free now though) and the breakup was good.

Everyone always says "Life's not fair" well for once it might be. People are whinging that "The gov't doesn't understand the technology" etc but it's not a technology issue, it's not an inovation issue, it's a corporate anti-trust issue and MS has been found guilty. I think the competition will do the industry good, Sure Bill will gripe but new boards and chair-people with be brought in and they'll have to really compete. If they want to beat linux then they'll have to be beter than linux (not just richer, or have more market influence)

There is only one reason I stand with MS and that is 'standards' ! compatability is enforced between vendors. But the industry is older than it was before MS existed and companies regularly work together to achieve standards. Too many people remember the VHS vs BETA days.

Internet communication allows org's and working groups like that which developed the RFC's for TCP/IP.

I say let MS have to compete like the rest of us. Either way both OS and Office group will have a share in US$21B for startup. Now they'll use it for development rather than have a useless slush fund.

Just think, the outlook styles will not be secrets !!!

Change is always fun to watch, very refreshing, give the industry a shake up.

Ms were hammered for forcing re-sellers to include IE5 on the desktop...naughty, naughty, naughty Microsoft. However, the arguement that this disadvantaged Netscape should be taken with a grain of salt. Netscape had pushed their marketshare as well in the portal market...therefore sour grapes.


If you remember the early 80s then you will recall the conflicting OSs, MS forced a standard which allows you and me to not concern ourselves abouting adding printer drivers etc to our programs. :)

Linux is a tool operating system. Anyway who thinks that crackers wont blast the kernal to pieces on differing customer machines, haven't had to fight off the unwanted attention of this breed of person in the unix world.

Don't worry MS are already stream lined for a split. Go Bill!!!!!!!!