FC: Dan Geer on Microsoft, 4-mo delay, and problems with so much code

From: Declan McCullagh (declanat_private)
Date: Sun Dec 23 2001 - 22:50:53 PST

  • Next message: Declan McCullagh: "FC: FBI and Pentagon quiz Microsoft on Windows XP security flaw"

    Previous message:
    
    "Microsoft asks for 4-mo delay before antitrust punishments 
    levied"
    http://www.politechbot.com/p-02962.html
    
    *******
    
    To: declanat_private
    cc: politechat_private, geerat_private
    Subject: Re: FC: Justice Department offes details of Microsoft antitrust deal
    In-reply-to: Your message of "Thu, 15 Nov 2001 19:39:51 EST."
                  <5.1.0.14.0.20011115192825.02381500at_private>
    Date: Sat, 22 Dec 2001 22:19:16 -0500
    From: Dan Geer <geerat_private>
    
    So you remember that old joke?
    
       The masochist and the sadist are walking down the street.  The
       masochist says "Beat me."  The sadist says "No."
    
    Well, here's my idea.  The remedy that Microsoft succefully avoided was
    to have its code base broken up among two or more units.  However, as
    we all know, the quality control cost of any system rises with the
    square of the number of components.  Since Microsoft cannot charge the
    usurious upgrade prices on which their revenue growth, and therefore
    their shareholder value, depends without substantial feature expansion,
    the component count must grow linearly (50 new features) if not
    geometrically (10% new features) per unit time, the quality control
    costs for them face a cost curve that becomes untenable at some point,
    the only question being when not if.  Therefore, the greatest
    punishment you can possibly impose on Microsoft is to forbid them to
    break up their code base into integrable product lines as it marries
    them to a cost curve that will kill them in due course.  Having sworn
    in court, settled in camera, and committed their reputation in public
    to the common argument that their code base cannot be broken up, they
    will now either reverse their position or march off the cliff.
    
    YMMV,
    
    --dan
    
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    Date: Sat, 22 Dec 2001 09:36:43 +0100
    To: declanat_private
    From: Peter Kaiser <kaiserat_private>
    Subject: Re: FC: Microsoft fesses up to huge security breach in Windows
       XP
    Cc: kaiserat_private
    In-Reply-To: <20011221122734.A18069at_private>
    
     > Microsoft spokesman Tom Laemmel said the flaw "slipped through" the
     > company's testing process but that XP's security still is superior to
     > that of previous Windows versions.
     >
     > "When we say Windows XP is the most secure system ever we're not saying
     > it's perfect," he said.
    
    	"No, we're saying it's the most secure system we've marketed under
    	the 'Windows' brand with an 'X' designation this year.  On that
    	we stand firmly committed."
    
    It's the timing that makes the comedian.  (Note that in French the word
    "comedien" means simply "actor".)
    
    ___Pete
    
    *******
    
    
    
    
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