I think your analysis is correct. Whether or not competing companies will band together remains to be seen.

I think that even if it does go through, it won't be so bad. Combine the general apathy and stupidity of the general populace with MS's inability to get it right and you have a system that just won't work. People will decide it's too much hassle, and not buy. Companies will look at the offerings and say "you have got to be kidding".

I know that it will be law to use microsoft products, but if you think that your average computer user cares about law then you should log onto gnutellanet and do a search for mp3.

Of course a lot of people are going to get hurt in the meantime, but that is a constant.

Incidentally I think the resistance to MS will be quite high, ironically from within the government. As soon as the Department of Defence figures out that MS will have the keys to their computers, they will go out of their mind.

Well, good luck fighting this one down, and remember the price of freedom.

____________________
Jeremy
I didn't believe in evil until I dated it.