Comments on: Is This a Market Failure? http://www.thelibertypapers.org/2006/10/22/is-this-a-market-failure/ Life. Liberty. Property. Defending individual freedom and liberty, one post at a time. Sat, 21 Nov 2009 03:11:50 +0000 http://wordpress.org/?v=2.8.4 hourly 1 By: Brad Warbiany http://www.thelibertypapers.org/2006/10/22/is-this-a-market-failure/#comment-2749 Brad Warbiany Mon, 23 Oct 2006 07:59:20 +0000 http://www.thelibertypapers.org/2006/10/22/is-this-a-market-failure/#comment-2749 Joe, The original post is related not to government vendors, but to government requiring every software company (even those it doesn't do business with) to support ODF. The idea of making a requirement of their vendors is a matter that came up later in the comments. I think standards that succeed on their own merits, where there is a choice to use something else, are fine. But government mandating standards usually doesn't work out too well. Joe,

The original post is related not to government vendors, but to government requiring every software company (even those it doesn’t do business with) to support ODF. The idea of making a requirement of their vendors is a matter that came up later in the comments. I think standards that succeed on their own merits, where there is a choice to use something else, are fine. But government mandating standards usually doesn’t work out too well.

]]> By: Howard http://www.thelibertypapers.org/2006/10/22/is-this-a-market-failure/#comment-2748 Howard Mon, 23 Oct 2006 06:47:02 +0000 http://www.thelibertypapers.org/2006/10/22/is-this-a-market-failure/#comment-2748 There will be no monopoly on ODF. It is a open, free to use, published file format, not a software suite. Microsoft, and indeed anyone else, can use it without cost. What I, as a libertarian, oppose is for Microsoft perpetuating it's monopoly via government largess. To the extent that any government persists in a libertarian utopia, it will be using products that allow its citizens to communicate with government officials with a free medium. Claiming ODF would be a monopoly is like claiming the alphabet is a monopoly! There will be no monopoly on ODF. It is a open, free to use, published file format, not a software suite. Microsoft, and indeed anyone else, can use it without cost.

What I, as a libertarian, oppose is for Microsoft perpetuating it’s monopoly via government largess. To the extent that any government persists in a libertarian utopia, it will be using products that allow its citizens to communicate with government officials with a free medium.

Claiming ODF would be a monopoly is like claiming the alphabet is a monopoly!

]]> By: Joe Clark http://www.thelibertypapers.org/2006/10/22/is-this-a-market-failure/#comment-2747 Joe Clark Mon, 23 Oct 2006 05:52:44 +0000 http://www.thelibertypapers.org/2006/10/22/is-this-a-market-failure/#comment-2747 “Government” wouldn't be creating a “monopoly.” It would merely require that its vendors, who of course <em>choose</em> to do business with it, support one file format. Other formats could also be supported. There is no monopoly at any point – one company does not have a dominant or sole market share and there isn’t only one format. Also, one does not “support Firefox” the way one “supports IE6.” One supports Firefox by writing to Web standards, as you mention elsewhere. “Government” wouldn’t be creating a “monopoly.” It would merely require that its vendors, who of course choose to do business with it, support one file format. Other formats could also be supported. There is no monopoly at any point – one company does not have a dominant or sole market share and there isn’t only one format.

Also, one does not “support Firefox” the way one “supports IE6.” One supports Firefox by writing to Web standards, as you mention elsewhere.

]]> By: Brock http://www.thelibertypapers.org/2006/10/22/is-this-a-market-failure/#comment-2746 Brock Mon, 23 Oct 2006 03:33:34 +0000 http://www.thelibertypapers.org/2006/10/22/is-this-a-market-failure/#comment-2746 Yes, it is wrong. Whenever the government buys software, it has to go through asinine testing that takes years and costs gazillions of dollars. Adding specs past the off the shelf version lengthens that time and cost exponentially. In 1996, we FINALLY were able to replace our WANG terminals and printers with a UNIX server and PC that could telnet into the original WANG software. In 1994 we started the process to buy an off the shelf hospitality program and an off the shelf accounting program (Quickbooks). When I left in 2000, the first "field trials" were just beginning. Field trials. As if the trials conducted by the hundreds of thousands of businesses using this software for years wasn't a good enough trial. Guess why I left? Yes, it is wrong. Whenever the government buys software, it has to go through asinine testing that takes years and costs gazillions of dollars. Adding specs past the off the shelf version lengthens that time and cost exponentially.

In 1996, we FINALLY were able to replace our WANG terminals and printers with a UNIX server and PC that could telnet into the original WANG software. In 1994 we started the process to buy an off the shelf hospitality program and an off the shelf accounting program (Quickbooks). When I left in 2000, the first “field trials” were just beginning.

Field trials. As if the trials conducted by the hundreds of thousands of businesses using this software for years wasn’t a good enough trial.

Guess why I left?

]]> By: Brad Warbiany http://www.thelibertypapers.org/2006/10/22/is-this-a-market-failure/#comment-2738 Brad Warbiany Sun, 22 Oct 2006 22:24:45 +0000 http://www.thelibertypapers.org/2006/10/22/is-this-a-market-failure/#comment-2738 No, of course not. The government buys a lot of things, and they often set terms with the supplier as to what they should be getting. Wal-Mart is the same way. If you want to be a supplier for Wal-Mart, you have to basically merge your supply chain with theirs for smoother ordering (for Wal-Mart's benefit). If the government told Microsoft "we're only going to use Windows and MSOffice if you make it do X, Y, and Z", that's fine. And if Microsoft wants to tell them to go pound sand, that's also fine, and then the government better hope they've got a backup plan. No, of course not. The government buys a lot of things, and they often set terms with the supplier as to what they should be getting. Wal-Mart is the same way. If you want to be a supplier for Wal-Mart, you have to basically merge your supply chain with theirs for smoother ordering (for Wal-Mart’s benefit).

If the government told Microsoft “we’re only going to use Windows and MSOffice if you make it do X, Y, and Z”, that’s fine. And if Microsoft wants to tell them to go pound sand, that’s also fine, and then the government better hope they’ve got a backup plan.

]]> By: VRB http://www.thelibertypapers.org/2006/10/22/is-this-a-market-failure/#comment-2737 VRB Sun, 22 Oct 2006 20:55:09 +0000 http://www.thelibertypapers.org/2006/10/22/is-this-a-market-failure/#comment-2737 Would it be wrong, if the government only wanted those requirements in its own software? Would it be wrong, if the government only wanted those requirements in its own software?

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