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MS admits its Linux-bashing jihad is a failure (Register)

[Posted November 8, 2002 by ris]

Here's the Register's take on this year's Halloween memo from Microsoft. "The Beast has hired a research crew to do a bit of attitude sampling among the Great Unwashed in the US and abroad, and has found that slagging Linux is not winning it any points. In a company memo posted by Eric S. Raymond here we learn that regular folks are both eager for a Microsoft alternative and generally respectful of the open-source concept."

(Log in to post comments)

Posted Nov 9, 2002 3:45 UTC (Sat) by bunghole (guest, #2676) [Link]

The so called Halloween II memo was probably leaked by Microsoft to make userland think that they are giving up their crusade to kill OSS/Linux. This will give them some cover when they start to implement Palladium and 'trusted computing' which will do the same thing.

MS admits its Linux-bashing jihad is a failure (Register)

Posted Nov 9, 2002 11:50 UTC (Sat) by microlhk (guest, #7619) [Link]

Perhaps, but it does not change the reality. Computing evolved to be a commodity as essential as housing or food. Human intelligence cant be fooled forever.

Everything has its time. Back in 86 I disliked Unix system V and stuck with DOS until 92. 94 I argued for windows, in 96 I began thinking about poor stability and productivity. In 97 I got disillusioned with office 97 bugs, in 99 I tried to switch to linux and failed for being too locked in (and too rusty).

December 30 2001 I made it..... My office uses it, My kids learn it, their schools got it, my clients get it....

Outside the US, Linux is catching on faster as there a much less adverse political and media manipulation.

The best the Linux community can do is what it does best - be open.

Questionairre == Advertising

Posted Nov 9, 2002 21:02 UTC (Sat) by torsten (guest, #4137) [Link]

I remember MS's old polls, where the questions were several minutes of MS praise, followed by a question: "Now do you think MS product X is better?" I came to the conclusion then that Microsoft wasn't actually conducting a poll, so much as advertising their products and themselves to the decision makers of the industry.

The particular route they chose is effective. First, they prey on human weakness - people love to be asked their opinions, and important decision makers subsequently listen to perhaps 20 minutes of MS advertising for the opportunity to answer "Yes" or "No." As a side effect, MS also gets to publish the inevitable favorable results (which also legitimizes the questionees' sense of legitimacy).

I believe one thing has changed - after polling people this time, the results were not overwhelmingly in favor of Microsoft. If you notice, in the original document, the phrase "after being read ...." a description. I think this shows that people are thinking a little more, rather than being lead by MS's FUD, advertising, and even rigged poll questions.

Thinking people scare businesses that depend on customer ignorance for profits. I think MS has the ability to corral all the free thinkers to solidify their future - but I wonder if they really know how to go about doing it. If they don't soon "wake up and smell the coffee," MS may find they have an unstoppable rebellion on their hands. That is the day I wait for - my proficiency with Linux will put me in very high demand indeed.