Which company is more evil? Sony or Microsoft?

[Lonestar]

Where's the Disney option?

[Frankychan]

I voted for Microsoft, why?

Because with Sony, at least you get quality. Microsoft's Windows OS is so full of bugs, you have to keep on upgrading to their newest version (where you have to buy it or suffer). People have to keep on buying the latest "version" of Windows to get rid of their bugs but the "newest" version has a whole set of new bugs.

Sheer salary. The CEO of Sony doesn't make as much as Bill Gates. Bill, the richest man on the planet, makes more money than the GNP of most countries! Any person who can build their own on-ramp/off-ramp to and from their house to the highway is making entirely TOO much money.

I propose we put a cap Bill Gates salary. With all that left over money, we could spread it to everyone else. Or better yet, we should spread Microsoft's wealth to everyone else. Help out with health care, the national debt, our messed up educational system, and help clean up the environment.

[Asher]

Originally posted by frankychan
Because with Sony, at least you get quality. Microsoft's Windows OS is so full of bugs, you have to keep on upgrading to their newest version (where you have to buy it or suffer). People have to keep on buying the latest "version" of Windows to get rid of their bugs but the "newest" version has a whole set of new bugs.

This has absolutely nothing to do with evilness, but whether you like their products or not. That said, Sony is in a completely different market than Windows for OS. It's hard to have "buggy" movies and music for the most part (I would argue most of the stuff they put out is complete and utter crap, however )

Sheer salary. The CEO of Sony doesn't make as much as Bill Gates. Bill, the richest man on the planet, makes more money than the GNP of most countries! Any person who can build their own on-ramp/off-ramp to and from their house to the highway is making entirely TOO much money.

Bzzt. Gates actually has a relatively small salary as CEO. He gets the vast majority of his money from stocks, and since he owns so much of MS, and MS stock tends to go up consistently over time, that made him a very, very rich man. Not salary.

Then again, I'd like you to explain how accumulated wealth relates to how evil a company is.

I propose we put a cap Bill Gates salary. With all that left over money, we could spread it to everyone else. Or better yet, we should spread Microsoft's wealth to everyone else. Help out with health care, the national debt, our messed up educational system, and help clean up the environment.

Bill Gates has less of a salary than most CEOs, because he makes phenomenal money just from the increasing value of his stock and investments. NOT SALARY.

This is extremely common in the tech sector. Steve Jobs, for example, got a $1 (yes, one dollar) salary over the past couple years but has made millions and millions in stock.

I propose people figure out how to differenciate between evil and "I don't like their products" or "they make too much money". They are not the same. This isn't a "which company do you dislike the most", it's a "Which company is most evil". And if you look at how Sony dominates their market, and is encouraged by their government to ruthlessly go after American businesses, you'd probably agree that Sony is far more evil.

Sony is the biggest member of both RIAA and MPAA, for christ sake!

[Saint Marcus]

The reason why there is no anti-trust trial for Sony is because the Japanese government has little to no rules about competing with foreign businesses, and in fact encourages ruthless competition as such.

Doubtful. MS is an American company, but is facing an anti-trust case in Europe. Sony, as far as I know, isn't facing such a case here, nor in America.

And if you look at how Sony dominates their market, and is encouraged by their government to ruthlessly go after American businesses, you'd probably agree that Sony is far more evil.

Then why isn't the US sueing them? We're sueing MS here, so you can do the same to Sony. Must be a reason why you don't (obviously it is because they aren't as bad as MS)

[Saint Marcus]

And ask any person on the street, hardly anyone thinks Sony is evil. Loads think MS is evil though.

And look at the poll: 54% vs 22%

[Urban Ranger]

Bill Gates does get a lot of money on paper for raising the price of MSFT stocks since the company doesn't pay dividends.

That's why he has been selling a load of them.

One big problem with MS is it keeps printing stocks to pay employees, and investors get screwed because they lose value over time.

[Saint Marcus]

That's certainly evil.

[Urban Ranger]

Saint Marcus,

If you are interested in some of these financial shenanigans that are taking place in Microsoft and elsewhere Bill Parish's website is excellcent.

His writing style is not exactly straightforward unfortunately.

[Saint Marcus]

Thank you. Very interesting site.

[gopher]

Easy: Chiquita Bannana. As was stated here, Chiquita was once called United Fruit. This is the company that was behind virtually every coup in the Central American region from Guatemala in '54 (I believe) to the Contras. Also having death squads, its own army and prision systems, and such. Evil.

[JCG]

Depends on your definition of "evil"...In my case:

EVIL = SIN/IMMORAL = GREED = BILL GATES = MICROSOFT.

Pretty logical.

[Asher]

Here I was completely forgetting that Sony was NOT Greedy. They're making billions for the sake of humanity!

Saint Marcus: I realize most people may vote for the more superficial things. After all, Microsoft is more successful than Sony so it's easy to label MS to be more evil since they have more money. It's also easy to blame Microsoft because all of the companies it assimilates go under the Microsoft banner, so it's aparent, whereas Sony's purchases are all cleverly disguised and obfuscated so not many people know just how far-reaching Sony is, especially in the entertainment and electronics fields. Do you know how much money Sony made from its Trinitron patents from all the other companies? Certainly that's "evil" now? How about being the biggest member of RIAA and MPAA? Is that not incredibly evil, seeing as how both of those organizations are out to crush rights of people who buy the music/movies?

Doubtful. MS is an American company, but is facing an anti-trust case in Europe. Sony, as far as I know, isn't facing such a case here, nor in America.

The last time I checked there actually hasn't been a trial or anything. Has there been an anti-trust trial in EU?

There's a case whenever someone complains, so I could just as well go complain that Johnson & Johnson are executing people who don't buy their products and there'd be a case for it.

And IIRC, there were quite a few cases between European countries and Sony regarding the PS1 and PS2. Seemed Sony was trying to slip in illegal materials into some countries and wasn't being too nice to retailers.

[Saint Marcus]

After all, Microsoft is more successful than Sony

Sony is the world 30th biggest company. Way better than MS.

Has there been an anti-trust trial in EU?

yep

[Asher]

Originally posted by Saint Marcus
Sony is the world 30th biggest company. Way better than MS.

Biggest in terms of what? Employees?
MS has over 4x the cash reserves of the next highest company (forget which one)

yep

Really? So I guess they made MS not guilty, since there was no punishment?

[Saint Marcus]

So I guess they made MS not guilty, since there was no punishment?

The trial just started. Aparantly the EU anti-trust commision thinks the US is too lenient on MS, and is pressing for harder actions against the company.

Biggest in terms of what? Employees?
MS has over 4x the cash reserves of the next highest company (forget which one)

Turnover. What else? And who cares about cash reserves?