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On Sat, 10 Jun 1995, Steve Bowbrick wrote:

> >I am working on a story on WWW site owners and other information providers
> >building firewalls between their systems and the Net to reject access from
> >anyone coming through the Microsoft Network.

If you are compuserve or prodigy it make lots of sense. :-)

> >I have found a couple of people in my neck of the woods planning this but
> >I'd be keen to find out how widespread this is or how feasible it is? I'd
> >be very interested in general thoughts and comments.
> 
> Hold on. What on earth would the function of an anti-MSN firewall be? To
> keep out the potential millions of readers? Am I missing something?

Only that Microsoft will  be targeting new markets and charging web servers
for ACCESS to MSN - once it has targeted strategic markets and sources.
Microsoft has been using information and percentages to buy or kill it's
competition for 20 years.  What makes you think they are going to change
just because they are entering a new industry?  With Rupert Murdock as a
partner, a Gates/Murdock alliance, fueled by information provided exclusively
to Microsoft (authentication and snitch records), could provide 
Microsoft/News with 95% of the entire media industry within 5 years.

> I, for one, relish the prospect of the millions of readers Bill is going to
> bring me and my clients!

Do you really think Bill is going to give you this incredible readership at
no cost and with no competition?  A philantrhopist Bill isn't.  In fact,
Bill has exploited millions of man-years worth of work (unix, internet 
techology, and applications provided by volunteers (many of whom are 
professionals contributing their spare time) without even making a 
contribution to educational institutions.  At least most of the corporate 
citezens of the internet make donations to scholarship funds, or 
contribute goods and services.  If Microsoft paid it's share in scholarships,
practically every student with a 3.0 in Math/Science could get a degree.

> Explain this to me someone! (maybe I should just wait for your story, Peter!)

Microsoft is using a Monopoly position (name any other substantial 
operating system which has captured more than 30% of the market), to 
establish a guaranteed monopoly position on the internet.  Once this is 
accomplished, the open standards which made the internet possible will be
replaced with "Microsoft's flavors".  Ultimately, Microsoft will walk off
with a 25% (or better) stake in 95% of all internet revenue.

> Steve

	Rex Ballard
	Personal Posting


From rballard@cnj.digex.net Mon Jun 26 12:14:58 1995
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