tooltiperror
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For a long time, people were concerned about console wars. Strict PC gamers thinking that the PC was the ultimate way to game, Sony Playstation fans (hell yeah) believing the Playstation was far superior to Nintendo's younger style and Microsoft was just a computing company trying to seize an industry, die hard Nintendo fans claiming that the only proper way to game was with a motion stick Wii... console wars have been a big debate for years, about which was the best. However, there is another thing that most people fail to see, and that is that each system is designed for different people, and therefore, different people will choose to use them. This goes for almost anything: food, clothes, movies, computers, furniture, people, you name it, everyone has a different preference. People fail to see this, which brings me to one of the two main topics I want to discuss in this post.
The Monopoly that is Microsoft.
A monopoly, not the board game, is an economic term to describe a force that is so massive and controls so much of the market that others can not sell at a similar level, and have trouble building popularity. Once a monopoly begins, it is very hard to end it, especially if people are not willing to. Microsoft is one of these giant monopolies that people can not even begin to understand. Over 80% of computers run on a variation of Windows, such as Windows 7, Windows XP, Vista, or specialized windows system developed for things such as menus and interfaces is public places. Think of the problems that come along with this mind blowing proportion. Here's sort of how it goes:
Everything is designed for different people! Some people see OS X as the best operating system, so people enjoy Windows, others like Linux! So if other people like those other systems, they would naturally switch. Right? Wrong. The problem is, they can't switch, because they would have to deal with limited software and less support in a world where eight out of every ten computers are running on a Windows variation. But how do we stop this spiraling cycle into a world of one dominant system?
The sad thing is, it's not easy. Some projects such as WINE have made switching easier, but it is not enough. However, this is a way that it can be stopped, as long as people are willing to listen!
The answer to the cycle is cross platform production. When people make software cross platform, that is another game or utility or cleaning program for all systems, and it makes people want to go out and buy the new system, or get it online legally. When they go out and get the new system, if they are developers, they may make things cross platform, too. This opens up a whole new cycle, of people switching to the new system and people more cross platform software. But some people are likely still reading this and thinking, "Why? Why can't people just get Windows?"
I explained it before, so people, try to wrap your head around it. Not everyone likes the same things! Some people like the sleek look of Apple computers and OS X, and others are fine with the refined look of Windows 7 since they can get more software, while others prefer the command line interface on Linux. People have taken their love of getting their own thing so far that there are hundreds of variations of operating systems people have to suit their needs exactly. So why do you feel as a developer not to support these other people? They merely took a different step than you, and it is part of the efforts to convert an entire planet of people using Windows to a cross platform world.
I plead with you; coders, developers, project leaders: Make your products cross platform and help everyone get what they want and eliminate the monopoly.
Do note, I am not saying that Windows should not be around at all, I merely think that it should not be the only system around.
The Monopoly that is Microsoft.
A monopoly, not the board game, is an economic term to describe a force that is so massive and controls so much of the market that others can not sell at a similar level, and have trouble building popularity. Once a monopoly begins, it is very hard to end it, especially if people are not willing to. Microsoft is one of these giant monopolies that people can not even begin to understand. Over 80% of computers run on a variation of Windows, such as Windows 7, Windows XP, Vista, or specialized windows system developed for things such as menus and interfaces is public places. Think of the problems that come along with this mind blowing proportion. Here's sort of how it goes:
- People do not feel the need to make things for other platforms
- There is then limited software for other platforms
- Those Operating Systems can not take off
- Microsoft successfully eliminates another business.
However, there is another thing that most people fail to see, and that is that each system is designed for different people.
Everything is designed for different people! Some people see OS X as the best operating system, so people enjoy Windows, others like Linux! So if other people like those other systems, they would naturally switch. Right? Wrong. The problem is, they can't switch, because they would have to deal with limited software and less support in a world where eight out of every ten computers are running on a Windows variation. But how do we stop this spiraling cycle into a world of one dominant system?
The sad thing is, it's not easy. Some projects such as WINE have made switching easier, but it is not enough. However, this is a way that it can be stopped, as long as people are willing to listen!
The answer to the cycle is cross platform production. When people make software cross platform, that is another game or utility or cleaning program for all systems, and it makes people want to go out and buy the new system, or get it online legally. When they go out and get the new system, if they are developers, they may make things cross platform, too. This opens up a whole new cycle, of people switching to the new system and people more cross platform software. But some people are likely still reading this and thinking, "Why? Why can't people just get Windows?"
I explained it before, so people, try to wrap your head around it. Not everyone likes the same things! Some people like the sleek look of Apple computers and OS X, and others are fine with the refined look of Windows 7 since they can get more software, while others prefer the command line interface on Linux. People have taken their love of getting their own thing so far that there are hundreds of variations of operating systems people have to suit their needs exactly. So why do you feel as a developer not to support these other people? They merely took a different step than you, and it is part of the efforts to convert an entire planet of people using Windows to a cross platform world.
I plead with you; coders, developers, project leaders: Make your products cross platform and help everyone get what they want and eliminate the monopoly.
Do note, I am not saying that Windows should not be around at all, I merely think that it should not be the only system around.