Re: Any Microsoft Bashers Here?

Freedomware wrote:
> I'm new to PHP and even newer to this list. Like many people, I've 
> become a fan of open-source software because it's superior to Microsoft. 
> I'm still using Windows on my computer, but I've moved my websites to 
> Linux servers. I'd like to get an Apple computer if I can afford it and 
> a Linux hard drive if I can find the time to get it up and running. (My 
> first experiment didn't go too well.)
> 
> But I'm especially interested in injecting open-source software into 
> political activism. I think the potential is awesome, especially when 
> you consider the diverse dangers posed by Microsoft, from corporate 
> corruption to national security. I think the general consensus is that 
> Microsoft can't beat Linux, but I'm not entirely convinced.
> 
> Bill Gates and George W. Bush can certainly come up with some creative 
> ways to promote Microshaft, at open-source's expense. Remember - whoever 
> controls the Internet wields a lot of clout.
> 
> Anyway, I've noticed that there's extremely little activism in the 
> open-source community. Most members are simply looking for a better 
> operating system, a better alternative to ASP, etc. Most think I'm too 
> radical, and many have told me they actually admire Bill Gates.
> 
> I just wondered if there are any people on this list who have a more 
> holistic view of Microsoft - not just as an unfair competitor but as a 
> threat to democracy. I'm working on a new anti-Microsoft website at 
> http://www.freedomware.us/, and a young Canadian citizen named Mike Roe 
> inspired a second site. :)
> 
> 
The use of Linux / OpenSource

I think a lot of people aren't very fund of Microsoft - many are aware 
of the fact that Microsoft has, well a lot, of bugs - yet many continue 
to use Windows and Office... WHY?

A lot of people has to use some special application either because they 
have to (eg at work / school) or because the want to (eg games) - At my 
high school a lot of the experiments done in physics are "recorded" with 
the program DUO-2000 (formerly WinDUO - guess what platform it 
supports)... I got it working using Wine, but a lot of the features 
aren't working proper (eg displaying graphs: all text is messed up) - 
and how many non-techies will have the ability to install wine and get 
the program running.

Many people have also grown into Windows and come to think that all 
other is bad and doesn't have the same abilities... I have been using 
KDE/Linux the last year or so and I'm able to do every thing I need to 
do. And so will it do for a lot of others if they just gave it a week 
with open mind. (for the rest of this post I will preach for KDE/Linux 
because that is where I have had my experience)

But where should be make an effort to use KDE/Linux?
Many schools could use KDE/Linux as their primary OS, because most 
people just need the tools to do simple surfing and text-editing (Moz 
Firebird and OpenOffice) and having a share for their files. This could 
be achieved with very low cost licenses and hardware (my school has a 
lot of 468 and P-133 running Win98 - which of course runs really slow). 
They could use these computers with KDE/Linux and get a lot more millage 
of them.
The option of remote-desktop using small (thin) clients with nothing 
more that a network interface, graphic controller and keyboard/mouse and 
running these of a central server - this would cut maintenance time and 
cost to a minimum while getting machines that runs smooth.

---

Monopoly damages Democracy

The fact that why are saving pretty much every important paper in a 
proprietary format would concern a lot of people (including me) - so in 
that way - yes, it is not a positive aspect. Steps should taken to 
prevent the use of closed standards - so every single piece of 
information is available to every buddy - at every time... so they 
should be stored in a open standard eg XML (not MS-XML wannabe XML-standard)

And I admire mr Gates - not as a programmer, but as a salesman... it 
isn't everyone who is able to become _that_ rich of selling something 
that bad...

---

This was my opinion - feel free to email me to discuss the matter!

Morten Fangel
   morten[UNDERSCORE]fangel[AT]tdcadsl[DOT]dk[DOT]this-is-a-fake-thingy
   Denmark

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