except standard support for HTML!. or any standard.

it is more like

open source = good     proprietary = bad by comparison.

I see, so you were coming from a qaudro stance. I'll mess with rivatuner and see what i can do.

I agree with MRFENIX, why do MS bashers have to compare its products with everything better?

Because they do abuse their virtual monopoly?  Because they do everything possible to make sure you have little choice to either buy their SW or use software based on their standards that ensures they remain super dominant and can make genuine competition very, very hard?

Ah, that would be it.  I'd say the article is anything but stupid.  The whole OpenGL vs DirectX is one of the main examples of MS using all their existing influence and position to force out an existing open standard and replace it with their own purely for their benefit.  Like many instances of this it was transparent to the consumer as they aren't even aware what's going on.

As I said, the businessman in me doesn't call foul, but the liberal side of me does because there was no need for a whole change of perfectly fine standards - the fact that post change DirectX is very good isn't the issue, the fact an open standard is better for the consumer (and competition) and MS cunningly near enough killed it for their own benefit and re-enforcement of their virtual monopoly is.

People who never gamed prior to directx will probably never understand why the death of OpenGL as a solution developers used is such a tragedy. Directx was mainly used imo to kill off OpenGL developments which could be easily ported across to Apple PC's.

I get fed up of reading a lot of hate towards Microsoft monopolies but this is one of the few instances where they genuinely killed off opposition. When it comes to internet browsers the consumer still has a choice, this is different as its a clear cut case of choice being removed from the consumers hand due to developments happening behind the scenes that the consumer cannot effect.

No one is bashing MS. We all understand that MS is in it to make money just like Sony and Nintendo and all three make good products. What they are doing is exactly what I expect them to do and that is what is best for themselves which is not always healthy for an industry as we have seen in other areas such as insurance, finance, music, and soon enough tv. Sony has done the same in the past with formats, Dev buyouts, and exclusivity. Nintendo did the same when they fought Sega.

I think what most people here want is for Devs, OEM's, and manufacturers to step up and re-shift some power back into the hands of the free market, in the form of OpenGL and maybe the PC which has historically been the foremost playground for innovation and opportunity. What doesn't make sense is that almost every company aside from the 3 console makers would profit immensely from a stable, console style PC alternative but none are stepping up to organize it. I suppose this is a bad sign because it means that our companies are all run by imbeciles... oh wait we already knew that. Props to MS, Sony, and Ninny for keeping everyone at bay but its just a matter of time imho before someone steps up.

Thanks for posting this alephnull. Good info on something I'm pretty unfamiliar with.

Spot on assessment.  I also don't like the 'evil empire' bashing either, but it's good to be able to acknowledge genuine cases of business manouvers that aren't necessarily for consumer benefit.

Yup, that's it nicely.

Open source, and open standards, are simply preferable for consumer interests.  Proprietary isn't as good an option in either case.  Not 'baaaad' as some unforotunately see it, just not the best option for the consumer nor for an open market.