Re: Microsoft's OS competitors

I don't really know the answer, but do know that Norton produced a desktop that works under the Microsoft OS but gave more options and functionability. I think perhaps the problem would be for an OS to be Microsoftenough to be truely compatiable you just have Windows with another brand name and no improvement, and unless someone could produce and sell the OS for considerably under Microsoft's price it wouldn't be profitable. There is also a program called SoftWindows that acts like Windows on the MAC and allows one to run software designed for Windows. I also think whether or not the reverse engineering would ultimately be found to be non-infringing (either copyright or patents), that Microsoft has deep enough pockets to take any competing possibly infringing OS to court and keep it there to the point where it is three generations out of date.

Shelly Warwick
swarwick[_at_]way.com Received on Tue Apr 29 1997 - 01:27:21 GMT