Microsoft != IBM A piece by the Economist describes how Microsoft is attempting to maintaining its policy of platform lock-in as it attempts, through .NET, to own (and/or tax) every piece of information that can be, or is, in digital form. It suggests that Microsoft fears turning into an IBM, a strong business certainly but not one that sets computing standards. But IBM's honest support of open standards (as opposed to the XML fudges MSFT makes and reporters accept) means its business incentives are aligned with its customers, unlike Microsoft who profits from lock-in, exclusion, and forced upgrades. In the future, I hope MSFT becomes a multi-OS company the way IBM has. The next 5 years will tell. (Here's the slashdot thread).

Off topic Berkeley economist Brad DeLong talks about the Islamic Reformation, how to speed it up, and how free trade can help.