Microsoft is like Swiss Cheese

Stephenson, Neal. “In the Beginning was the Command Line.” The Hearst Corporation, 1999. Web. 25 Feb. 2010.

Computers today are vastly different then the first computers as Neal Stephenson points out in his essay “In the Beginning was the Command Line.” He writes about how the computer has changed drastically from when he was introduced to one as well as compares operating systems. At first you had to literally punch holes into a piece of paper to get the computer to compute what you wanted. Then he moved on to how anyone who had used a computer had to know how to write codes in order to bring up certain things on the computer screen. Stephenson then brings up the topic of G.U.I. or graphic user interface which is what we are all now accustom to. G.U.I was invented by Apple computers and first used by a model known as Lisa. With the invention of G.U.I the computer became easily accessible to everyday user. Stephenson then goes on to explain the differences between operating systems created by Apple, Microsoft, Linux, and BeOS. He shows that Apple focuses on hardware as it does not allow third parties to produce the hardware needed to run its operating system. Microsoft is the opposite as it allows third parties to produce hardware to run its software. He focuses on how our culture has driven us to accept either Apple or Microsoft and to ignore other competitors. Both these companies are driven to make a profit but both have faults when it comes to design. Apple is expensive to own while Microsoft’s operating systems are filled with problems. Stephenson then goes on to show that Linux which is a free operating system is on the whole better than Microsoft or Apple however it is not well known to the average person. He closes by stating that it is absurd to think that Microsoft has a monopoly over the computer industry as there are alternatives to it however the preconceived notion is that Microsoft because it is so popular is the only choice when it comes to operating systems.

After reading this essay it’s easy to see what Neal Stephenson is trying to get us to think about as a reader. Microsoft and Apple have had dominated control over the operating system world but each has its flaw. Stephenson has a unique way of using metaphors to describe each system. In particular the car metaphor that Apple is this expensive car that few can afford, while Microsoft is a car deal that will sell you a station wagon that is cheap and effective, and lastly Linux will give you a tank that can get 100 miles to the gallon but no one has heard of the dealership so no one will shop there. It is an interesting metaphor to describe how we view computers. Stephenson accents this point by saying culturally we our taught to want what is popular rather then what’s best. These distinct metaphors help him explain his reasoning behind his essay. While Stephenson does state that Linux is superior to any system he does say that it comes down to people making choices about what they want in a computer. He makes the reader think about how each operating system has its flaws in design but in the end it’s up to the buyer to make an informed decision on a product rather than use a product based on popularity. Ultimately, as Stephenson puts it, it’s up to us to start making our own decisions rather than accept those given to us by society.