>>>>>If you feel you can fight fair use, you can take MS to court over it. But until someone wins that battle, you need to abide by the EULA.
>>>>>
>>>>>>"Fair use" ...
>>>>>>
>>>>
>>>>I double ditto that - the same rules that protect Microsoft - also protect us.
>>>
>>>Hmmm... MS has how many billions? I have how many billions? To believe that the courts will protect me as well as they would protect MS is (IMHO) a very nice dream.
>>>
>>>Alan
>>
>>Well, that's what they told me in school - but imagine the press releases - suing little Timmy, for running VFP under Linnux, because he couldn't afford XP and he needed to make money to pay the mortgage on his parents double-wide while mommy was in the hospital for a kidney transplant.
>
>Terry;
>
>Ethics, morality and compassion mean nothing in the business world, unless there is profit to be had! You weigh your options for the greatest return on investment, devote your attention to the board of directors, investors, the bottom line, and profits.
>
>Tom
Tom,
Understood - and thank the the maker for capitalism and equity participation - without it - I would only know 10 words: "Would you care for a large fries with that burger?"

"You weigh your options for the greatest return on investment"
AT some point, when market shares decline, you might need to decide to "go with the flow", and hang on to some of what you got. Look at IBM's foray into ROM Basic and hard BIOS. Sure, they were able to keep prices high, for a while; then came clones and the bottom fell out.

Linux and the open source movement seems to be in ascension - whats Microsoft to do? Hmmm .. Microsoft Consultants ... compete with Big Blue (and little ole me) for system services?