Letter to the Editor

There's one note I would like to share that isn't getting enough press: Apple Computer Inc. G4 PowerPCs are being put into the airframe weapons systems of both the F/A-18 and the AV-8B.

If the Windows/Intel architecture is so reliable and high-powered, why didn't the Navy and Marine Corps pick it for the real battlefield?

I am always encouraged when I see objective coverage of alternatives — Apple, Unix, Linux — to the Wintel duopoly. It still seems disconnected though that FCW could predict a comeback of the Mac ["Apple re-enters desktop battle," FCW.com, March 19, 2001] when the primary proponent of the Navy Marine Corps Intranet sole-sourced desktop systems to the Wintel architecture.

I would very much like to see an article that addresses the conflict of interest between the Navy chief information officer mandating only Wintel while the Justice Department sues Microsoft for monopoly practices.

James Wojciehowski
Naval Air Warfare Center, Weapons Division