A couple of feedback on this:
1. MS versus Apple. It is a matter of marketing. Microsoft, most likely intended, otherwise evolved into, targeting at the majority population. Apple, on the other hand, targeting at only a certain segment. Like Harley Davidson, there is a pride in both the maker and the user of it. It really has nothing to do with the openness of the product. A product is made by people, and used by people. Apple is sold only to users who have natural connection with the maker. Microsoft, on the other hand, is willing to and has been successfully building a bridge: a bridge between the maker and the user. Openness is a component of this bridge.
So goes with Linux. It is completely “open”. Yet it is “closed” to the majority. I smell rebellion and extremist from it. True linux passionates don’t like to install with package, what they really enjoy is, compiling everything from source. For this reason, I don’t think Linux is ever going to be successful in the consumer market. Unless, someone, builds a bridge.

2. Online open network and close network. I have just recently got introduced to orkut.com, a close-loop network. Comparing to an “open networking” where anyone can just sign up a free account; a close-loop network requires a newcomer to be introduced by someone who is already in the network. Trust is an interesting topic here. Any virtual community, any online network, will eventually carry the same characteristic as the people community and people relationship. Trust is very important to the virtual world. Close network is an attempt to address this problem. The technology is not mature yet, but it is promising.

It’s late, got to go. this is a topic I have been reading. Please keep me posted and I would love to share more later!

Kevin