[geeks] FYI: CompUSA is offering OS X 10.5 for $99 (after rebate)

[Jonathan C. Patschke]

On Fri, 26 Oct 2007, Lionel Peterson wrote:

>> Wal-Mart sucks.  They've destroyed so many other companies, and we
>> just let them do it.
>
> How, by taxing them and subsidising smaller companies?

Reasonable import tariffs on Chinese goods would be a good start, as
would putting a stop to Wal*Mart's[0] hallmark abuses of eminent domain.

> You either believe in the capitalist system or you do not... People
> vote with their wallets,

Wal*Mart have a history of dumping products on the market below cost
until their local competitors have dried-up.  Small local firms can't
compete with a multinational corporation with big pockets that can
afford to run a store for months at a time as a loss-leader.  I've seen
quite a few markets where Wal*Mart was literally the only place in town,
having milked everything else dry.  In those instances, the Wal*Mart
wasn't priced at was would be what I'm used to in a small community with
several competing stores.

Yes, people vote with their wallets, but not that many care enough to
boycott Wal*Mart on the basis of how they conduct themselves when their
prices are lower than those at other stores.

What it really boils down to is whether we consider out vendors based
entirely on price alone, or whether we want to reward vendors who treat
customers and their communities well.  A purely-capitalist system would
say that only price matters.  However, a purely-capitalist system would
also say that customers only matter so long as they're buying something,
and we have sufficient population density that vendors can irritate
roughly as many people as they like, and "there'll always be someone
else."

I believe in capitalism as a system, but I also recognise that, much
like a republican form of government, it requires some degree of
vigilance.  People need to be serious about moving their business away
from companies that treat them or their communities poorly.  They only
other two options are increased government controls, or that the
companies walk all over us, neither of which is an improvement.


[0] And others'.
-- 
Jonathan Patschke     )  "So far, 99% of illegal activity has been caused
Elgin, TX            (    by criminals."
USA                   )                                    --David Willis