ProtonMail vs Apple

[Richard Gaskin]

Brian Milby wrote:

>  "Microsoft can do what it likes with THEIR *platform*! if YOU
>    _choose_ not to agree with their policies for use on THEIR
>    platform, YOU can _choose_ to go elsewhere."
> 
> Absolutely... on THEIR *XBox* platform.
> 
> Microsoft leveraged anti-competitive practices to squeeze out competition on the *PC* platform with MS DOS.  Therefore Microsoft gained a monopoly on the *PC* platform by unfair business practices.  Very different situation. 

True, all circumstances are ultimately different from others.  As 
Aristotle reminds us, this is why all metaphors ultimately break down.

I'm not an antitrust litigator, nor judge with expertise in that area, 
nor corporate ethicist, nor economist, nor sociologist.  I'm not even a 
philosopher until well into a second Mai Tai. :)

I'm just a business owner longing for the olden days when I could hang 
my shingle anywhere I feel is best for my business.

I'm just a computing enthusiast who enjoys open standards, open systems, 
and open communications for learning, sharing, and deploying.

I'm just a citizen, like billions of others, looking at the 
ever-more-accelerated concentration of wealth, power, and control into 
the hands of just five people, and wondering if this is really in 
everyone's best interests...


And in recognizing the limitations of my modest roles, I admit the 
limits of my relevance in this discussion on a developer's list.

Carry on where you feel it's relevant for us to make choices as 
developers. I don't believe I have anything more to contribute beyond 
the questions I've already presented.

-- 
  Richard Gaskin
  Fourth World Systems
  Software Design and Development for the Desktop, Mobile, and the Web
  ____________________________________________________________________
  Ambassador at FourthWorld.com                http://www.FourthWorld.com