Statistical Analysis For The Social Sciences - 1236 Words

Mental Health Research Project Sociology 315: Statistical Analysis for the Social Sciences Professor Dana Williams By: Hayden Beaudreau 12/11/15 Question: This research project will try to grasp a better understanding of an individual’s mental health based off a few different variables including respondent’s income, alcohol consumption, and marital status. The main focus for this research will be to try and grasp a further understanding of the effects each of these have on an individuals mental health. Too commonly we see people who determine their own self-worth based off monetary income, such as bigots like Donald Trump. Although everyone’s perception and definition of success is different, the†¦show more content†¦Data: The information provided for this research project came from the General Social Survey, (GSS). Using IBM’s SPSS predictive analytics software I analyzed the data to determine the significance of these factors. The alcohol variable I used accounted for the number of alcoholic beverages in a given year (GSS variable â€Å"DRINKYR†). The other variable tested for significance was marital status (GSS variable â€Å"MARITAL†). This method of sampling is considered random probabilistic sampling, as we should be able to draw a conclusion with our results about the general population using entirely quantitative data. In examining the data I will be searching for causality to determine the significance of these factors and whether or not they correlate with over overall quality of mental health. Focal Relationship: I believe that income will have the highest significance between the three of these factors, that’s why I’ve chosen income and mental health as the focal relationship. Two variables are needed to determine whether or not causality exists between mental health and income. The dependent variable will be identified as an individual’s amount of poor mental health days in the last 30 days (GSS variable â€Å"mntlhlth†). This data will be considered interval/ratio due to the close-ended survey question. Answers to the survey were provided in ranked numerical intervals representing the frequency of respondent’s poor mental health days in the pastShow MoreRelatedData Analysis : Information Derived From Statistical Package For Social Sciences3523 Words   |  15 PagesCHAPTER 4 DATA ANALYSIS 4.0 Chapter introduction This chapter presents the results of researcher’s analysis. The chapter describes information derived from analysis of each variable through descriptive statistical data obtained from Statistical Package for Social Sciences (SPSS). The data is going to be presented in pie charts, tables and graphs. 4.1 Findings and discussions The results extracted from the questionnaire, which was distributed to the hotel staff or the hotel employees were asRead MoreTop Industries : Educational Services, Professional Scientific And Technical Services1113 Words   |  5 Pages Top Industries: Educational Services, Professional Scientific and Technical Services 19-4061.00 - Social Science Research Assistants My client wants become a research assistant or a statistical assistant, because she wants to obtain more research experience in social science and statistics, thus advancing her education in that field, and because she simply enjoys being part of a research team. Research assistants should feel comfortable working in an environment that relates to that fieldRead MoreSPSS Statistics for Students703 Words   |  3 PagesSPSS is the premier statistical analysis software, and has been the industry benchmark for decades. It is practically impossible to do work in the social sciences without understanding the basic uses and functions of SPSS. As the full name of the software (Statistical Package for the Social Sciences) suggests, the suite is especially designed for use in the social sciences and has become standardized in some fields like psychology (Field, 2005). Researchers can use SPSS to input the raw data fromRead MoreThe Effect of Climate on Suicide Rates Essay examples1502 Words   |  7 Pagespsychological and social variables that themselves influence suicidal tendency. While few thinkers contend that climate is a major or primary proximal cause in suicides, the degree and nature of its influence remains indeterminate. Nevertheless, ev en a mild or moderate and indirect influence of climate on suicide could have significant implications for suicide prevention efforts. While the present analysis may only be correlation, such research remains necessary for any further analysis of causative relationshipsRead MoreBUS 308 Week 5 Final Paper1141 Words   |  5 Pagesaide me in making rational and informed decisions that are supported by the analysis results. Statistics as a discipline is the application and development of various processes put in place to gather, interpret, and analyse the information. The quantification of biological, social, and scientific phenomenons, design and analysis of experiments and surveys, and application of the statistical principles are all statistical procedures that are more advanced in nature. Even though the data can be appliedRead MoreStatistics in Research944 Words   |  4 PagesDefinition of statistics: Statistics is the science of learning from data, and of measuring, controlling, and communicating uncertainty; and it thereby provides the navigation essential for controlling the course of scientific and societal advances (Davidian, M. and Louis, T. A., 10.1126/science.1218685). Statisticians apply statistical thinking and methods to a wide variety of scientific, social, and business endeavors in such areas as astronomy, biology, education, economics, engineering, geneticsRead MorePSY 325 Statistics for Behavioral and Social Science, Ashford1395 Words   |  6 Pagesï » ¿CLICK TO DOWNLOAD PSY 325 Statistics for Behavioral and Social Science, Ashford Week 1, Final Paper Topic Selection For the Final Paper, you will identify three to five research studies from peer-reviewed sources that were published within the last ten years, which investigate a particular social science problem or topic. The Final Paper will focus on critiquing the varying statistical approaches used in each of these studies. Your assignment this week is to identify the topic that youRead MoreStatistics and Decision-Making in Hrm1382 Words   |  6 Pagesdefined as the science that helps us understand how to collect, organize and interpret numbers or other information (data) about some topic (Bennett, et al., 2003). It is a discipline of data collection and summarizing to aid understanding and decision-making. It is also concerned with evaluation of the present status and predicting the future (Stockberger, 1996). Statistics studies the nature of a relationship between two or more variables of interest by using the numerical statistical data. MoreoverRead MoreQuantitative Research Design Is The Standard Experimental Method Of Most Scientific Disciplines1104 Words   |  5 PagesQuantitative research design is the standard experimental method of most scientific disciplines. These experiments are sometimes referred to as true science, and use traditional mathematical and statistical means to measure resul ts conclusively. They are most commonly used by physical scientists, although social sciences, education and economics have been known to use this type of research. It is the opposite of qualitative research. Quantitative experiments all use a standard format, with a fewRead MoreThe Placebo Effect Is A Phenomenon Of Human Health Improvement1148 Words   |  5 Pagesexample, a man who is suggestible by nature, but is pessimistic and prone to depression, is unable to believe in his recovery with placebo. Placebo-reactivity depends on the personality: extroversion, anxiety, addiction, and the level of agreement or social conservatism. The placebo effect has both its supporters and opponents. After all, the very fact of its unreliability and inefficiency undermines the credibility to this method of treatment. However, the placebo is not used in clinical practice, although

Critical Analysis Of A Good Man Is Hard To Find By...

Flannery O Connor was often shocked to find how people interpreted her stories. Some readers of A Good Man is Hard to Find believed the grandmother was evil, even a witch. Soon O Connor set out, quite explicitly, in letters and lectures to detail the theology of the story and the importance of the grandmother as an agent of grace. In a letter to John Hawkes, she explained how violence and grace come together: More than in the Devil I am interested in the indication of Grace, the moment when you know that Grace has been offered and accepted— such as the moment when the Grandmother realizes the Misfit is one of her own children. These moments are prepared for (by me anyway) by the intensity of the evil circumstances. When O Connor†¦show more content†¦Generally O Connor chalked up all the misreadings and confusion to the spiritual shortcomings of the modern reader: Today s audience is one in which religious feeling has become, if not atrophied, at least vaporous and sentimental. But the discrepancies between how O Connor is often read and how she claimed she should be read cannot simply be explained by her theology of grace or by the lack of religious feeling among readers. Critical opinion over the years has tended to line up behind O Connor s own explanations; however, O Connor s analysis of A Good Man Is Hard to Find still seems baffling and occasionally a critic has questioned the theology of the fiction. Andre Bleikasten, focusing on O Connor s novels, claimed that the truth of O Connor s work is the truth of her art, not that of her church. Her fiction does refer to an implicit theology, but if we rely, as we should, on its testimony rather than on the author s comments, we shall have to admit that the Catholic orthodoxy of her work is at least debatable And Frederick Asals recalls D. H. Lawrence s advice that a reader should trust the tale and not the teller. Of A Good Man Is Hard to Find, Asals claims: BLOCK QUOTE One can easily pass over her [O Connor s] hope that the grandmother s final gesture to The MisfitShow MoreRelatedThe Moral Structure Of Flannery OConnors A Good Man Is Hard To Find1148 Words   |  5 PagesWorks Cited Bonney, William. The Moral Structure of Flannery OConnors a Good Man Is . Studies in Short Fiction, vol. 27, no. 3, Summer90, p. 347. EBSCOhost, pulaskitech.idm.oclc.org/login?url=http://search.ebscohost.com/login.aspx?direct=truedb=afhAN=9705041482site=ehost-livescope=site. The ten stories in Flannery O’Connor’s A Good Man Is Hard to Find circumscribe a moral and thematic center (Bonney). William Booney’s article was written as if the grandmother is actually grasping the savingRead MoreLiterary Analysis â€Å"Setting† – a Good Man Is Hard to Find2158 Words   |  9 PagesProfessor Sharon Thiese The Short Story May 28th, 2012 Literary Analysis â€Å"Setting† – A Good Man is Hard to Find In the story â€Å"A Good Man is Hard to Find† by Flannery O’Connor starts out by giving a look at a dysfunctional family on a vacation, but ultimately, gives insight into ourselves as well as the nature of good and evil, how they can clash, and how they can co-exist, even in the same person. The setting, which plays a critical role in this short story because the grandmother shows her selfish

Strengthening Reporting of Observational Studies

Question: Discuss about the Strengthening Reporting of Observational Studies. Answer: Introduction: Borderline personality disorder (BPD) is a set of abnormal behavior is observed in an individual characterized by unstable mood, behavior, emotion and functioning. There is extreme feeling of depression, anxiety, self-harm and suicidal thinking among people with BPD. The rate of suicide and suicidal behavior is high in people with borderline personality disorder. There are argument regarding the values of hospitalization on patients with BPD and one research suggests that hospitalization can produce negative effects for patients. This is because of the chronic suicidality characteristics of BPD. The management of chronic suicidality characteristic is based on specific treatment, which should not be restricted to hospital setting. Hospital should be reserved for specific treatment such a neuroleptic therapy for psychotic patients which cannot be delivered outside the hospital. Hence, suicidal prevention in hospital leads to more regression in patients (Paris, 2004). Another study just ifies in-patient treatment for such patients to promote safety, however the suicidal precaution steps used in hospital setting reinforce suicidal thinking in patients. People continue to have suicidal intention even after suicide (Bateman Fonagy, 2010). Hence, the purpose of hospitalization for these patients is not met. People with BPD are often hospitalized for continuous psychotic episodes, serious suicide attempts and self-mutilation. This has been found of no value for recovery of patient and lead to negative effects in patients. Some of the prolonged impact of extended inpatient hospitalization includes continued risk of assaultive behavior, poor physical and social functioning, eating disorder and non-adherence to treatment. It is also an additional expense in terms of cost. Hence, psychiatric admissions are often opposed by mental health professionals due to adverse effect of regression and iatrogenic dependency (Koekkoek et al., 2010). Apart from this negative impact of hospitalization on patients, the negative attitude of psychiatric staffs on treatment of patients BPD also creates risk for patient. Negative attitude and lack of empathy towards patients further increased the burden and cost of treatment (Bodner et al., 2015). The analysis of literature revealed that there is lack of studies regarding the long-term impact of prolonged hospitalization on people with BPD. Although studies present reinforcement of suicidal tendency despite hospital, researchers have not yet explored the long-term impact of hospitalization on mental health of BPD patients. Objective of the study The purpose of this research is to analyse and evaluate the long-term impact of prolonged hospitalization on patients with BPD and identify the strategies or approach by which the impact can be reduced. The research question for the study includes the following: How does prolonged hospitalization affect patients with BPD? What are the long-term impact of hospitalization on patients with BPD? What strategies or interventions are needed to reduce the adverse impact of hospitalization? Research approach The review of research presents several contrasting viewpoint for hospitalization in BPD patients. Short-term hospitalization is effective in severe crisis situation and for the diagnosis of BPD. Short-term hospitalization is also supported to provide temporary relief from acute stressful episodes and self-destructive behavior. However, there is doubt regarding prolonged hospitalization for this group of patients as most of the symptoms of BPD can be managed by structured outpatient program like individual therapy and medication. Hence, due to the lack of study regarding the adverse effect of prolonged hospitalization in this patient, this research is important to widen the knowledge regarding adverse effect of hospitalization and find alternative ways to reduce the harm in patients. Grounded theory approach to qualitative research will be done to conduct this research. This methodology of research is used to construct theory through the analysis of data relevant to the purpose of study. It is an inductive way of research in which specific research question guides the future course of investigation. The data collected for the study is reviewed repeatedly with separate repeated idea and categorize data into different codes. This codes can be further developed into a concept and consequently specific categories (Charmaz, 2014). Conventional research is based on a theoretical framework on the basis of which data is collected to show prove whether the theory applies to the phenomenon under study or not. In contrast, grounded theory research method offers explanation related to the phenomenon of study which results in the development of theory. Apart from generation of theories from data, this research methodology also helps in the discovery of emerging patterns in the data. By this means, several social patterns of society can be easily conceptualized (Kelle, 2010). The methodological strategies of grounded theory by means of extensive data analysis lead to the development of middle level theories. The final result has credibility as it is made on the basis of strong empirical foundation. Reflexivity in grounded theory can contribute to validity of the research by means of analysis and interpretation of different phases of research (Gentles et al. 2014). This methodology has been chosen for the current study because there is lack of studies regarding the harmful long-term impact of hospitalization in BPD patients. Short-term impact has been discussed, however there is lack of theory regarding long-term potential impact of prolonged hospitalization. Hence, study with this group of people through grounded theory approach will help to evaluate the long-term impact and develop theory regarding potential ill-effect. It will help in better understanding of the phenomenon related to adverse impact of prolonged exposure to hospitalization (Creswell, 2012). Other advantage of using this methodology in current study is that it will sequentially guide the research process and offer specific strategies for handling the research data. It will promote conceptual understanding and enhance the legitimacy of the qualitative research (Kolb, 2012). Data collection The data collection for this research will be based on the data collection technique of participant observation to generate data for the grounded theory and research question. It will help to gain familiarity with the study participants a specific environment for a certain period of time (Bryman, 2015). As the aim of the research is to develop understanding about long-term hospitalization process on people with BPD, the research will be conducted for extended time period. Participant for the study will be recruited from the outpatient unit of the Department of Psychiatry in the regional hospital of Australia. The inclusion criteria for the participation included diagnosis of BPD within 1 year and absence of other chronic disease. They should also have past history of at least one suicidal attempt in the past one year. This criteria is important because if participants with other chronic illness are include in the study, it might give biased and invalid results. The participants will be assessed for inclusion by means of assessment carried out by experienced clinician. They will confirm the diagnosis of BPD on the basis of criteria listed in the DSM-IV (Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders) classification system and clinical history of participants (Sellbom et al., 2014). As this group of participants will be kept in hospital for about 3 months period, their clinical assessment will be done before and after hospitalization. After provi ding the same treatment protocol to all patients during the hospitalization, their health status and symptom will be assessed quarterly followed by one-year follow-up to evaluate any long-term impact of hospitalization. After the hospitalization phase, the severity of the symptoms will be assessed by means of Hamilton Rating Scale for depression and Anxiety. Secondly, suicidal behavior questionnaire will be distributed to each participant and they will be asked to give their response. This will help to observe suicide ideation post-hospitalization (Linehan et al., 2015). Ethics of research The ethical requirement in conducting the research will be met by taking ethical approval for the research from the Australian Institute of Applied Psychology Human Research Ethics Committee. This approval will reflects that the research process will follow the standards of ethical conduct as mentioned in the Australian Code for Responsible Conduct of Research. The permission or approval of research depicts that research process has been assessed on all level such as quality, safety, ethical responsibility, risk management and financial management (ACAP Research Ethics ACAP, 2017). Secondly, during the recruitment phase of research, participants will be included in the study only after taking written informed consent for the participants. This will mean informing participant about the purpose of study, any risk during the process, concealment of identity of participants and method of dissemination of study finding. The detail regarding the treatment protocol and interventions will a lso be provided to participants while taking informed consent. This will ensure that participants will voluntarily participate in the research based on relevant risk and benefits of the research for them. The main information given to participant will include purpose of research, expected duration, right to decline, reasonable foreseeable risk factors and limits of confidentiality (Kass et al., 2015). Steps taken to strengthen the credibility and generelisability of the findings The research is mainly concerned with identifying the long-term adverse impact of hospitalization on patients with BPD. Analysis of recent literature on the topic has propose little value of hospitalization on suicide ideation and depression in patients with BPD. Research studies have analyzed the impact of certain interventions in hospital setting, however there is lack of studies regarding the impact of hospitalization in people with BPD. To gain insight into the issues faced by patient after prolonged hospitalization and plan strategies to reduce the effect, the participant observation and clinical assessment is considered important for this research study. Furthermore, the credibility of the research will be enhanced by means of appropriate tool to assess the level of anxiety and suicide ideation among participants post-hospitalization period (Noble Smith, 2015). In this study, Hamilton Anxiety Rating Scale (HAM-A) will be used to measure the severity of anxiety level in participants post-hospitalization. This will enhance the credibility of the research data and findings as it is validated tool used to assess response of patient following an intervention or treatment. The score obtained from the HAM-A will help to evaluate the potential bad or good effect of prolonged hospitalization on management of symptoms of BPD (Thompson, 2015). This means of clinical assessment and collection of data related to anxiety and suicide ideation will enhance the richness of the data collected. Furthermore, the trustworthiness of the data will be increased by analyzing data through the data triangulation method. By this technique, the validation of the data will be enhanced through cross verification from two or more sources. In this research, the two approaches for understanding the phenomenon (adverse impact of hospitalization) include use of anxiety and su icide ideation tool as well as completing the Suicidal behavior questionnaire. By this multiple technique of assessment, the study finding can be cross-verified and any biasness or confounding factors in research can be readily identified. This technique will help to overcome the limitations of research, which is based on single-observation technique (Hussein, 2015). The credibility of the finding is also enhanced by maintaining consistency in research findings so that it can be readily understood and replicated by others. All this is dependent on method of inquiry, analysis and presentation of research finding. Integrity in this research will be maintained by recruitment of experienced clinical staff involved in dealing with BPD patients and other psychological disorder. This involvement of experienced staff in research will establish control over the data collection, data analysis and reporting of the research finding. As this research used observation method for data collection, the guidelines for reporting observational studies will be followed. It helped in reporting of data transparently so that readers and reviewers can easily follow the research process, study finding and the final conclusion of the research. The study finding will also be compared with other relevant research to analyze consistency level. This form of critical assessment and comparison with other research article will help to identify strength and weakness in study design and analysis. The use of STROBE (Strengthening the Reporting of Observational Studies in Epidemiology) statement checklist of items required for reporting observational studies will enhance the reporting process of studies (Von Elm et al., 2014). Grounded theory methodology is chosen for this research study to develop theory or approach regarding impact of hospitalization on BPD patients. The rigour in the grounded theory research can be developed by special consideration regarding this in the data collection phase. For this research study, the rigour and validity of the research is dependent on scores obtained for each participant in the Hamilton Anxiety Scale and the Hamilton Suicide Ideation Scale. Furthermore, the response that will be obtained from the Suicide Ideation Questionnaire will first be code and categorized into different concepts. Secondly, the emerging concepts obtained from participants response will be cross-checked by the score obtain from the clinical assessment tool for the study. Other research experts will be consulted for to make sampling and analytical decisions. This step will reflect the rigour in research as well as strengthen the credibility of the research study. This inductive-deductive process will lead to theory generation specific to the objective of the research (Cooney, 2011). Another aim of this research is to reduce the impact of hospitalization on BPD by suggestive effective inpatient intervention for this group. This is highly dependent on the level of severity found in participants post- hospitalization. To address the negative impact of hospitalization on BPD patient, it is suggested to include partial hospitalization in patients with severe psychotic symptoms and self-harm attempts. Furthermore, BPD patients can be provided therapy in residential setting. One example of an intervention that can be given outside the hospital include the Dialectical behavior therapy. This treatment consists of multiple components such as individual therapy, skills training and coping skills to achieve positive outcome for patients. The efficacy of this intervention for treatment of risk behavior in BPD has been proved by various research studies and it has revealed reduced rate of suicidal and self-injurious behavior in treatment groups. This intervention is increasin gly provided in community setting where patients are not restricted to the limits of the hospital and gets chance to do other activities. This promotes well-being and better results post the intervention (Linehan et al., 2015). The utility of dialectical behavior therapy in patient treatment of BPD patients has also been analysed by Bloom et al., (2012) and the researcher showed that it is effective in reducing symptoms related to BPD in inpatient setting. However, this involved variation in certain strategies of the intervention such as phone consultation was removed from treatment schedule. Secondly, duration of the treatment was changes according to the convenience of patient. This resulted in reducation in self-harm behavior, suicidal intention and aggressive behavior in patients. This suggestion of appropriate intervention to reduce the risk of harm to patients with BPD will reflect that research situation was appropriately verified and analyzed to improve health outcome of target group. This will help to fulfill the purpose of the study and promote the transferability of the research in real context and clinical scenario. Furthermore, transferability will be promoted by appropriate reporting of key findings, strength and limitation of the study. Reference ACAP Research Ethics ACAP. (2017).Acap.edu.au. Retrieved 13 April 2017, from https://www.acap.edu.au/faculty-and-research/acap-research-ethics/ Bateman, A., Fonagy, P. (2010). Mentalization based treatment for borderline personality disorder.World psychiatry,9(1), 11-15. Bloom, J. M., Woodward, E. N., Susmaras, T., Pantalone, D. W. (2012). Use of dialectical behavior therapy in inpatient treatment of borderline personality disorder: a systematic review.Psychiatric Services,63(9), 881-888. Bodner, E., Cohen-Fridel, S., Mashiah, M., Segal, M., Grinshpoon, A., Fischel, T., Iancu, I. (2015). The attitudes of psychiatric hospital staff toward hospitalization and treatment of patients with borderline personality disorder.BMC psychiatry,15(1), 2. Bryman, A. (2015).Social research methods. Oxford university press. Charmaz, K. (2014).Constructing grounded theory. Sage. Cooney, A. (2011). Rigour and grounded theory.Nurse researcher,18(4), 17-22. Creswell, J. W. (2012).Qualitative inquiry and research design: Choosing among five approaches. Sage publications. Gentles, S. J., Jack, S. M., Nicholas, D. B., McKibbon, K. (2014). Critical approach to reflexivity in grounded theory.The Qualitative Report,19(44), 1-14. Hussein, A. (2015). The use of triangulation in social sciences research: Can qualitative and quantitative methods be combined?.Journal of Comparative Social Work,4(1). Kass, N. E., Taylor, H. A., Ali, J., Hallez, K., Chaisson, L. (2015). A pilot study of simple interventions to improve informed consent in clinical research: Feasibility, approach, and results.Clinical Trials,12(1), 54-66. Kelle, U. (2010). The development of categories: Different approaches in grounded theory.The Sage handbook of grounded theory, 191-213. Koekkoek, B., Van Der Snoek, R., Oosterwijk, K., Van Meijel, B. (2010). Preventive psychiatric admission for patients with borderline personality disorder: A pilot study.Perspectives in psychiatric care,46(2), 127-134. Kolb, S. M. (2012). Grounded theory and the constant comparative method: Valid research strategies for educators.Journal of Emerging Trends in Educational Research and Policy Studies,3(1), 83. Linehan, M. M., Korslund, K. E., Harned, M. S., Gallop, R. J., Lungu, A., Neacsiu, A. D., ... Murray-Gregory, A. M. (2015). Dialectical behavior therapy for high suicide risk in individuals with borderline personality disorder: a randomized clinical trial and component analysis.JAMA psychiatry,72(5), 475-482. Noble, H., Smith, J. (2015). Issues of validity and reliability in qualitative research.Evidence Based Nursing,18(2), 34-35. Paris, J. (2004). Is hospitalization useful for suicidal patients with borderline personality disorder?Journal of Personality Disorders,18(3), 240-247. doi:10.1521/pedi.18.3.240.35443 Sellbom, M., Sansone, R. A., Songer, D. A., Anderson, J. L. (2014). Convergence between DSM-5 Section II and Section III diagnostic criteria for borderline personality disorder.Australian New Zealand Journal of Psychiatry,48(4), 325-332. Thompson, E. (2015). Hamilton rating scale for anxiety (HAM-A).Occup. Med.(Lond.),65, 601. Von Elm, E., Altman, D. G., Egger, M., Pocock, S. J., Gtzsche, P. C., Vandenbroucke, J. P., Strobe Initiative. (2014). The Strengthening the Reporting of Observational Studies in Epidemiology (STROBE) Statement: guidelines for reporting observational studies.International Journal of Surgery,12(12), 1495-1499.

Why Microsoft Is Not A Monopoly Essays - Microsoft, Monopoly

Why Microsoft Is Not A Monopoly Monopoly? Is Microsoft actually a monopoly? No, they are not. They dont force you to buy their products, they are not the only company out there, and even though they are the most used, people do have many other choices. Who makes you buy a product? No company makes you buy their products. If any company made you buy a product of theirs it would be bad business, and no one would buy from them. Nobody is holding a gun to your head saying , Buy my product or I will blow your head off. If anyone did do that they would be put in jail. If you buy from another company, your computer will not explode; in fact the only company that does make you buy their products is Compaq, and even then the computer wont explode it just will not work. A lot of people think that they have to upgrade to a different product or their computer will not work. That is misleading. If an upgrade is mandatory it will be free. Any upgrade you have to buy is just a preference that is not needed. There are many other companies that do force people to buy their products. Other companies that do force you to buy their products arent widely used in a home situation. The reason they arent used at home very much is because nobody likes to be pressured into something. Many companies make products that are compatible with Microsoft or another companys products. The reason people dont think there are any other companies is because they hear about a product and are too lazy to look for an alternative. Microsoft does want to make a lot of money for themselves. Who doesnt? Windows is very easy to learn. Operating systems used to be very hard to learn. When Microsoft came out with the Windows operating system it was very easy to use. The reason I am pointing this out is because people dont want to make their lives harder than it needs to be. Microsoft makes the easiest operating system to use on a PC, and that is what makes it popular. It is not because they buy out other companies or because they make you use their products. Microsoft is not a monopoly; the problem is that most people are just too lazy to look for another company. If people actually tried to find other products it wouldnt take them very long at all. So, anyone who claims Microsoft is a monopoly needs to take a look at the facts. If everyone looked at the facts with knowledge about their products, they would see that they are free to choose. Having people that have little or no knowledge about computers and computer products, besides turning them on or installing something, is like putting a child the age of five on a jury. Its not fair to Microsoft especially, but it is also unfair to the people because if you hurt the company, it hurts the customers. Computers and Internet