Microsoft Takes Linux For A Test Drive (TechWeb) [LWN.net]

Microsoft Takes Linux For A Test Drive (TechWeb)

Posted Jul 31, 2003 18:41 UTC (Thu) by ccchips (guest, #3222)
In reply to: Microsoft Takes Linux For A Test Drive (TechWeb) by openhacker
Parent article: Microsoft Takes Linux For A Test Drive (TechWeb)

In general, Windows admin's are:
- discouraged from coding
- encouraged to buy software do meet every need
- discouraged from having a multi-platform viewpoint
- encouraged to use Microsoft VB for everything

On top of that, Microsoft moves data into their proprietary formats at every convenience. This means that there's absolutely *nothing* transparent about the material going through any pipeline once it crosses into any Microsoft domain.

I've said this before, and I'll say it again: I was a Microsoft booster in the early '90s at my shop, and ever since they started attacking Netscape, they've done nothing but make me regret it.

...and I hope one of them (or several) are reading this.

Until they lay off Linux and other free alternatives to their stuff, or start learning to treat others the way Microsoft would like themselved to be treated, they will never have me in their camp again.

...and if this keeps up much longer, I will publicly state it, using my full name, address, and all the rest. I'm getting really sick of this.

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Microsoft Takes Linux For A Test Drive (TechWeb)

Posted Jul 31, 2003 19:20 UTC (Thu) by lnx3733t (guest, #13532) [Link]

amen ccchips!

i believe that microsoft is tring to gain too much of the marketshare. they already have too much money and are being more and more greedy everyday. i refuse to use a microsoft product myself(i however build systems that use them) linux is good for so many things nowadays and it's desktop is evolving making it easier to use. i suggest to anyone who is serious about boycotting M$ download one of thoes cd distro's and when you go somewhere that doesn't use linux pop it in and show people what they're missing. M$ shouldn't be allowed to kill all of their competition which is what they are tring.

Microsoft Takes Linux For A Test Drive (TechWeb)

Posted Aug 3, 2003 1:10 UTC (Sun) by coriordan (subscriber, #7544) [Link]

Bad mouthing M$ is easy fun but it's not going to change anything.

If you present GNU/Linux just as an alternative to Windows, you will be told:
0. the lack of M$ Word format is too much of an inconvenience
1. people don't want to relearn software
2. people don't want to lose their configuration settings
3. etc.

To bring people from the dark side, they have to be shown why GNU/Linux is infinitely better than Windows (or MacOS, or Unix). Tell them about Free Software.

They'll say: "but I'm not a programmer, what good is source code to me?"
You can say: "It's not important that YOU have the freedom to change the code, it's that EVERYONE has the freedom to change the code. Proprietary software is engineered to be Just Good Enough that you will buy it but it must leave you wanting to buy more. In contrast, Free Software developers have to make their software as good and useful as possible so that someone else won't just make a more popular fork."

The lack of M$ compatibility is a small problem really, most office formats are supported by OpenOffice (especially the upcoming 1.2 release). This slight shortcoming is greatly outweighed by the number and variety of applications you get with Free Software distros.

Ciaran O'Riordan