Microsoft Defended, Online Music Sales, Free Trial Woes

Readers come to Microsoft's defense for a change, discuss online music sales, and share customer service tales of horror.

Microsoft has been accused of antitrust violations for preventing competing software companies from creating programs for Windows platforms. However, most of you were quick to defend Microsoft's right to keep the Windows Vista kernel closed, citing security concerns. Do you think that Microsoft is not allowing fair competition, or does the company have the right to keep its operating system closed?

Online music sales have doubled, as a recent news story reports. Most of you don't seem surprised, though some still prefer to purchase music on CDs.

Our story on difficult-to-cancel free trials prompted so many of you to share your opinions, experiences, and horror stories that I thought it would be good to highlight some more comments. Have you had a bad (or a good) experience in canceling accounts? What do you think about the trend of sending rebate cards instead of checks?

It's been a few weeks since Apple announced the iPhone. Will you be purchasing one or holding off? Take the Community Poll and let us know what you think.

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JamesEvens says: The security of an operating system such as Vista relies on the fact that the system kernel is locked down. Why would any software really need to go there?

ncgmcpherson says: That's been the problem all along with the old Windows, anyone could get inside of its guts. So I see no problem with the lockout from the kernel.

PersianDark says: The problem with Vista not giving access has to do with certain people (and of course McAfee, Symantec, whatever) who feel we would rather rely on a third-party service then on Microsoft's security.

Cosmo says: Guaranteed, if Microsoft is forced to release its source code for Vista, it will be leaked and Vista will be a hacker's playground.

Read all the posts in this thread and contribute your own opinion.

Cosmo says: What they don't realize is that if people buy the music online, they aren't going to go and buy the CD. No kidding, CD sales are dropping.