Microsoft Must be held accountable.

Anton Markov anton-F0u+EriZ6ihBDgjK7y7TUQ at public.gmane.org
Fri Oct 10 21:56:08 UTC 2003


JoeHill,

I think you are getting a little carried away here. You are going way 
overboard and leaving the realm of criticism. Here is how I see it:

Even though I don't like Microsoft software, I personally have nothing 
against the company or Bill Gates. Here is why:

Microsoft makes a product for a particular market - the novice to 
everyday computer user.  It is the ease of use of Microsoft Windows that 
made the internet revolution possible (I know that most of the servers 
are *nix, but what's the point of having servers if no one can access 
the site?)  Microsoft is a multi-trillion dollar corporation that 
creates tens of thousands of jobs.  It is no more or less evil than 
McDonalds or GM.  They are certainly not as bad as the government which 
imposes its monopoly(s) with guns and laws.

That doesn't mean that Windows is a good piece of software.  However, 
there is a large market of people who's needs are satisfied by Windows. 
  For these people it's a good piece of software.  Let it be (sort of).

Linux and Windows fill their own niches in the computer OS market.  The 
real problem is that Windows is so insecure that it causes problems for 
not only its users, but all other users of the internet.  Worse yet, 
Microsoft isn't in a big hurry to fix it.

The only way to fix this problem is to make Microsoft *want* to fix it. 
  I say *want*, because the minute we *force* a business to modify its 
practices it is called communism or fascism, which ever you prefer to 
call it.

The real way to make a business change it's policies is to use the rules 
of "supply and demand".  This doesn't mean "Demand the supply", it means 
"The demand creates the supply".  In other words, if the consumers want 
something bad enough, someone will always come along and build a 
business that fills that gap.  Microsoft was built by allowing ordinary 
people to use a computer with ease.  Linux is becoming more popular as 
people want more stable and secure computing.

Therefore, the solution to this problem and many more problems in 
today's society (including the "Windows Refund" issue discussed some 
weeks ago) is education.  Not the "1+1=2" and "Canada became a country 
in 1867" crap, but education about choices.  People need to know that 
there is more than one operating system out there, that there are more 
ways to succeed in life than "go to school and get a safe secure job", etc.

A few days ago my Computer Science teacher had me do a presentation on 
Linux for the class (no bonus marks or anything).  I had some of my 
classmates install and use Redhat.  They where surprised at how easy it 
was to use.  At least two people in my class are now considering getting 
Linux on their next computer.  They now know that there are options to 
Windoss.  This 'lesson' part of the curriculum or anything.  That is the 
power of education and knowledge rather than blind protests, complaints, 
or regulations.

Sorry this was so long, but I found that I have a lot to say once I 
started writing. Thanks for reading it all.


Anton



JoeHill wrote:
> But shouldn't MS be held responsible for the ridiculous ease with which
> these people can compromise Windows software?
> 
> And the only way to get their attention is to make Windows more
> difficult to use on the 'net, ie. find a way to identify the machines
> and shut them out.
> 
> I already block all mail from Outlook unless it is from a known person
> or list, and there are ways to make websites inaccessible to IE (there
> must be, if there are ways to do the reverse), which I am going to look
> into.
> 

-- 
Anton Markov <("anton" + "@" + "truxtar" + "." + "com")>

GnuPGP Key fingerprint =
5546 A6E2 1FFB 9BB8 15C3  CE34 46B7 8D93 3AD1 44B4

  "The difference between insanity and genius is measured only by success."
  - Some bad guy from 007
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