1. regarding my last posting: I do not imply that there is something phoney about these papers; I'm just saying that I am not surprised that the conclusion is pro Microsoft, when Microsoft Germany initiated these papers.
2. I have not had the time yet to read through these papers, but from an economical point of view the conclusion actually could make sense: if you have companies that sell mediocre proprietary software you need other companies that offer software and services to meliorate the original product. (it is just like the environment pollution thing: having a company that pollutes nature, and then having a company that does the decontamination and clean-up economically makes perfectly sense: both produce something and thus help raise the gross domestic product. Having only one company with a "green" pruducing scheme is in terms of GDP less good). Michael
Wouter Vanden Hove wouter.vanden.hove@pandora.be schrieb:
Just noticed 2 recent "academic" papers at http://mice.uni-muenster.de/mers/index.htm
Open-Source Software: An Economic Assessment Open Source-Software: Eine volkswirtschaftliche Bewertung
The Impact of Microsoft Deutschland GmbH on the German IT Sector Die Bedeutung der Microsoft Deutschland GmbH für den deutschen IT-Sektor
Their conclusion in short: Microsoft good, Free Software Bad.