Forming an opinion (Was: Re: MS Rumors)

Arjen Kamphuis (mountain@knoware.nl)
Thu, 20 Nov 1997 00:13:53 +0100


Lee Daniel Crocker <lcrocker@mercury.colossus.net> wrote:
>>>> There also are many examples of Microsoft products opening back

//snip//

>If MS has /actually/ done so many things you dislike already,
>then why must you tolerate such obvious lies? It reduces your
>credibility on the real issues to zero, as does quoting
>opinion pieces from news reporters without any facts in them.

Maybe I should never have posted the MS-thing in the first place, but at
the time I thought it was not total bull and a lot of fun besides (but
taste in humor differ).

In forming my opinions I must rely on others in some way for most subjects,
because of limited knowledge and presence in space/time. So I must evaluate
who to believe, who has the best story? What sounds logical/real? I've
leared the hard way (also on this list as Lee so eloquently reminded me)
that info, on the web espescially, should be regarded with suspicion.

Nonetheless: I want to have an opinion about many things, more things than
I have time reading-up about. The overwhelmingly large majority of
IT-proffesionals I've talked too (and I talking to a lot both in- and
outside IBM) is of the opinion that MS-products are primarily good for the
Stock-value of MS. Add to that my own negative expriences with the 85
different flavours of Windows. Add to that the fact that on the web one can
find score's of 'I hate windows' 'MS-sucks' and 'Resistance is Futile, you
will pay your upgrade' pages and this person is becoming convinced that his
own feelings about Bill-ware are more or less correct.

It's a bit like an other thread. Who go you believe? The FBI or Ian Goddard?
The PR-department of a large company that stands to lose a lot of cash or
my collegues-around-the-world and friends whom I respect and who's
knowledge I admire? Not a difficult choice really.

I'm reading-up on the TWA-800 thing, my picture is still very incomplete
but so far I'm not inclined to believe the FBI-story. Which leaves me...
This list will make a libertarian out of me yet ;-)

Greetings,

=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=
Arjen Kamphuis | Do not beleive what you are told, do
mountain@knoware.nl | not obey the commands you are given.
| - Albert Einstein

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Arjen Kamphuis | Learn as if you will live forever.
mountain@knoware.nl | Live as though you will die tomorrow.