[tlug] Re: [OT] Say _no_ to the Microsoft Office format as an ISO standard

["Gernot Hassenpflug" <aikishugyo@example.com>]

Stephen Turnbull wrote:
> Date: Mon, 09 Jul 2007 16:37:43 +0900
> From: "Stephen J. Turnbull" <stephen@example.com>
> Subject: Re: [tlug] Re: [OT] Say _no_ to the Microsoft Office format
>        as an ISO       standard
> To: Tokyo Linux Users Group <tlug@example.com>
> Message-ID: <87bqemuiwo.fsf@example.com>
> Content-Type: text/plain; charset=us-ascii
>
> Josh Glover writes:
> /../
>  > But I do feel that laws on the books should be enforced or overturned,
>  > so it is a shame that there is no real bite to antitrust. Like you
>  > sad, big companies pay the fines as a cost of doing business.
>
> /../ I would go so far as to say that this
> great country of Japan has all the creativity it can stand, and maybe
> more.  What it lacks is enough fearless crazies willing to start a
> business and go balls to the wall.

I'm going to catch flak here no doubt, but it will be an education.

So what about the enormous costs of starting up (the law just changed
and many small business had to spend another whack to change their
registration)? Followed by years and years without income but plenty
of expenses (including an accountant and as I understand it basically
Windows software for the tax accounting) because the negotiations tend
to not go smoothly for various reasons. One of which is that every
innovative product that is brought into Japan will *not* be bought
until is is endorsed by several of the Fortune 500 companies, by which
time its competitive edge is dulled and its cost has gone up by a
factor of 10 or more. That and the kei-retsu (OK I forget what it is
called now) system that makes the total number of companies one can
approach for any single product (let us say, computer security
software) about 5. I don't know if in principle this is any different
from elsewhere in the world, but the absolute costs are
exorbitant. There's a lot to be said for the taxation system as I
understand it, whereby one can juggle money around before tax year end
to avoid paying any as a company.

So when the Japanese say "Taijuu ni tayore" or something like that
(hang onto the big ones and go with them) there are some pragmatic
reasons. I do think this environment would take the initiative
out of anyone, and introduce a portion of moral apathy, and probably
add to the desire to do things that would be called collusion
elsewhere.
--
Gernot Hassenpflug