Can anyone compete with Microsoft in the world of software applications? For years now, Bill Gates & Co. have had clear sailing: the Windows operating system monopoly has helped make their key products—like Word and Outlook—into unbeatable juggernauts. Meanwhile, innovation in those areas proceeds only at the pace that Microsoft deems appropriate. The Open Source Applications Foundation has a different idea: to promote free software and innovation by creating cool new applications on a bare-bones budget. The not-for-profit OSAF was initially funded with $5 million from former Lotus Development Corp. founder Mitch Kapor. For Kapor, this is a fascinating departure. Twenty years ago he introduced one of the first killer applications of the PC age, the Lotus 1-2-3 spreadsheet; it was unabashedly for-profit and was closed-source. But Kapor always had his heart in the counterculture, and after leaving his company he co-founded the Electronic Frontier Foundation, a cyber-rights organization. Though he has seen success as an investor, he feels strongly about the open-source movement, which posits that in the age of complex software many people working for nothing can duplicate or even exceed the efforts of the rake-in-the-bucks gang. And because the source code is available to all, anyone can improve the product. The continued success of the Linux-powered operating system and Apache Web servers shows that open source is no wild dream, but a serious challenge to the establishment. Sometime next year the OSAF will begin testing its first product, a personal-information manager that directly takes on Microsoft"s Outlook. Named after the famous mystery novelist, Chandler will run on Mac, Windows and Linux, be loaded with clever features and allow users to share information with others on things like calendar entries. And, of course, it will be free. Kapor has signed up an all-star team, including Lou Montulli (Netscape Navigator browser) and programming legend Andy Hertzfeld. Also participating: thousands of volunteers who believe in the barn-raising spirit of the open-source movement. Ultimately, Kapor hopes the project will be self-supporting, with money coming from corporate sponsorships, foundations and licensing fees. For the immediate future, Kapor thinks that Chandler will be simply another alternative in the shadow of the giant. But long term, the OSAF sees a sea change in the industry itself. "If Chandler works, I can"t see why we couldn"t do a word processor or a spreadsheet," says Kapor. After all, he predicts, "in 10 years Office and Windows will be commodities." Meaning that the Open Source Applications Foundation, or anyone else, will be able to plug its products—including an operating sys tem-into your computing world. Microsoft"s will cost money. The others will be free. If Kapor has his way, it"s a long good-bye for Microsoft"s dominance.
单选题 Microsoft company in the software world
【正确答案】 A
【答案解析】解析：事实细节题。根据题干中的Microsoft定位至首段第一句，开篇提问：在计算机王国的应用软件领域谁人能与微软抗衡？之后提到：Bill Gates和他的公司目标明确，Windows操作系统的垄断地位使得他们的主要产品，如Word和Outlook的地位无人能撼动。由此可得出答案选项的内容。该段末句提到：这些领域的创新也是以微软认为合适的速度进行的。这里指的是innovation in those areas，并非所有的创新。
单选题 Kapor"s purpose of funding OSAF is to
【正确答案】 C
【答案解析】解析：事实细节题。由题干中的OSAF定位至第二段，这里提到Kapor创建该机构的月的，首句中a different idea后面的内容正是对目的的说明：开发新的应用程序，推广免费软件和促进创新；这与答案选项的内容一致，故该项为答案。该段第二句提到：Lotus Development Corp，没有提到该公司的subsidiary (分支机构)；第二句中的The not-for-profit OSAF明确表明该机构是非盈利性的，unabashedly for profit是末句对Lotus软件的评论；第三句提到For Kapor，this is a fascinating departure．两家机构都是由Kapor投资的：一家追逐利润，一家非盈利性质，departure是结果不是目的。
单选题 The open-source movement is based on the idea that
【正确答案】 B
【答案解析】解析：推理判断题。由题干中的the open-source movement定位至第三段第二句：该句指出：尽管 Kapor作为投资者取得成功，他对于开放源代码运动感受很深，该运动假定在这个复杂的软件时代，许多非专业人士可以效仿甚至超越专业的开发团队。由此推断，该运动假定每个人都可能帮助开发出更好的软件。counterculture(反传统)是该段首句提到的内容，这里是说the open-source movement是反传统的，但不是该运动的核心内容；由第二句可知，open-source movement的核心是普通人，不是experts。
单选题 Based on the passage, it can be predicted that Chandler
【正确答案】 B
【答案解析】解析：推理判断题。由题于中的Chandler定位至第四段第二句。该句介绍了OSAF将开发出来的个人信息管理软件Chandler：可以在Mac，Windows和Linux系统中运行，软件设计精巧，用户之间可以交换信息，而且是免费的。由此可知，该软件应用广泛，使用性强，可免费获得，因此前景看好。本题提问对Chandler软件的推测，已给出的细节内容无需推断，直接排除。此外，既然是免费软件，不能得出a great success in business的结论。
单选题 What does the author think of the OSAF?
【正确答案】 C
【答案解析】解析：推理判断题。这里提问的是Kapor对OSAF的看法，因此定位至末段。最后四句对Kapor的话做出解释：OSAF将会让自己的产品，包括操作系统，进入你的计算机。微软的产品需要花钱购买，其他机构的产品是免费的。如果Kapor能够做到这点，微软的统治地位就要与我们久别了。由此可以推断，Kapor认为自己的OSAF会战胜微软，结束它的垄断地位。首句提到another alter native in the shadow of the giant，但这里有个限定for the immediate future，如果添加了表示绝对的only，意思则完全不同；从前文和末段可以看出OSAF提供免费软件，这与微软以盈利为目的完全不同；末段第四句提到Windows will be commodities，不是OSAF。