Windows 98 price (in 1997) -> $209 Office 97 Standard (in 1997) -> $689 Windows XP price (now) -> $199. Office 2003 (now) -> $399.
Verizon Retail 768k DSL, $14.95/month (includes everything) Verizon Wholesale 768k DSL, $13.95/month + DS3 ATM + IP + support + e- mail Verizon CLEC 2W DSL Conditioned loop, $15-18/month + COLO + DSLAM + Backhaul + IP + Support + e-mail You can't say that Verizon isn't selling DSL below their cost and using monopoly POTS revenue to subsidize the extermination of competition in the DSL market. Now, granted the CLEC can use the 2W DSL conditioned loop to run ADSL2 + and POTS and sell for more $$. Unfortunately in todays era of Wal*mart shoppers people buy on price alone.
The problems most people have with microsoft's monopoly status have nothing whatsoever to do with the price of the software which forms the basis of their monopoly (windows + office), but rather their willingness to use the profits from them to subsidize other losing ventures to drive out other competitors.
Exactly, Verizon is using the profits from the monopoly to subsidize losing ventures -Matt -- Matthew S. Crocker Vice President Crocker Communications, Inc. Internet Division PO BOX 710 Greenfield, MA 01302-0710 http://www.crocker.com