Date: Thursday, December 25, 1997 12:56 PM
Is Microsoft Evil?
How is it that in the United States -- the home of such men as Thomas Edison, Henry Ford and the Wright Brothers -- could that question even be reasonably postulated? Bill Gates the most productive man in the United States, is actually being persecuted for being productive . . . . for running the largest computer-software company in the world.
To me, this issue should not even be discussed between rational people. It would be like debating over the answer to a simple arithmetic problem or the shape the Earth. But this is an issue; an issue that has been avoided for the last century in this country.
Think; if it were evil to create better products at lower prices, then would that imply that building the worst products at outrageous prices is good.
I once thought that Ayn Rand was exaggerating when she claimed that people held the phrase, "From each according to his ability, to each according to his need" as a moral ideal. But once again the Ralph Naders and Janet Renos are proving that they do.
Imagine penalizing Bill Gates 1 million dollars a day for running a good business.
What's next? Failing Johnny because he got all the answers right on his test, while giving Steve a full ride to Harvard because he never went to class.
To learn more about the specifics of the Justice Department's vendetta against Mr. Gates and Microsoft visit the following website:
http://www.capitalism.org/microsoft
Michael Randall
WJ Rayment responds: Mr. Randall is correct when he states that Microsoft and Bill Gates are being persecuted. Those companies that accuse Microsoft of unfair competition are being hypocritical. Are they not the ones employing forces outside the market?
Development of Java and other initiatives by Microsoft's competition are to be lauded. But the recruitment of demagogues such as Ralph Nader and the Justice Department to attack Microsoft and free trade is not only underhanded, but will have a tendency to move American society toward socialism.
The argument that a Microsoft monopoly must be dismantled or regulated in order for there to be free competition in the software industry is a fallacy. The computer industry is moving so fast that any upstart has a chance at overthrowing the big-boys. Look at what happened to IBM. They, at one time dominated the computer industry. They are no longer the all-powerful force that they once were.
Let the market work. Microsoft creates the best goods at the best price. When they cease to do this, the market will favor someone who does.
WJ Rayment
