>Remember being able to build a PC from parts bought piecemeal from ads in Computer Shopper, then install your choice of Microsoft DOS, FreeDOS, Windows, Linux, FreeBSD, OpenBSD, NetBSD, DragonflyBSD, Solaris x86, OS/2 Warp, BeOS, Minix, Netware, etc., etc?
Mostly because I was was illustrating that point with certain archaic details (Computer Shopper magazine, OS/2, BeOS, etc.) and it just came out that way. But yes, your point is valid, you certainly can still "do that" in the PC realm. I should have said something like "Compare the smart phone world to the PC world where you can build a PC ..."
Uh...you can still do this? Why the past tense