RE: [tlug] Re: [CoLoCo] RESPECT MICROSOFT

[<burlingk@example.com>]

> -----Original Message-----
> From: Lyle H Saxon
> Sent: Wednesday, August 15, 2007 7:05 PM

****Note, all oppinions within are expressly my own (except
for those that  are proceded by a closing angle bracket (>).
:P  They do not constitute the oppinions anyone else, and may
or may not truly be in direct response to the quoted materials.
They start off as such, but sometimes I get sidetracked.****

> 
> This is true, but I sometimes wonder why people expect it to be
> delivered to them from the hands of an angle with fluttering wings,
> descended from heaven with blaring trumpets, while on the other hand
> they put up with all manner of problems with their brand-W machines.
> The problems on the brand-W boxes are overlooked, but Linux must not
> only be perfect, it must be better than anything else in each and
> every way before it will be considered?
> 

The thing is, that they got the market share first.  This 
Means that Microsoft, not Linux, has the home field advantage.
To the world at large, Linux is the outsider, the underdog.
This means that in order to get to the lead, we have to move
past Microsoft.  If we simply become on par with them, then 
We will still be in their shadow, simply because to the world, 
they were first.  There really is no argument otherwise.
Unix was arround then, but Linux is NOT Unix, even if some
people equate the two.  BSD even is not the same as the Unix
that was arround then.  Thank the gods, because the BSD's and
Linux have continued moving forward, and are much better than
the Unixes (sp?) that were in use when Microsoft got their start.


We do not have to be perfect, but we do have to be better than
Windows before we make the claim that we are.  On a philisophical
Level we are light years ahead.  However, philosophy doesn't sell.
Pretty graphics, and compatability with what they already know
does.  The latest and greatest games sell.  The ability to use the
latest IM network without waiting for someone to hack together a 
version that will work on your computer, that sells.  

Yes, Linux has some very pretty games, but the vast majority 
of commercialy made games are still Windows only, and many, if 
not most, of the best looking Linux games are still works in
progress.  Wine makes this easier, but it requires some
technical knowledge, and is not 100% effective.  It most likely
never will be.  It is hard to make an emulator (or application
layer, if you preffer the PC terms Wine likes to use) that is
100% compatible with a cooperative platform, muchless one that
is actively hostile.  This means that we need companies to
create Linux native versions of the popular games.  That takes
a lot of convincing.  Add to that the fact that many branches
of the Linux community are actively hostile to the idea of
any binary only packages in their Operating Systems, to the
extent that they are developing schemes to read the license
information from a package to decide whether or not to allow
it to install.  That doesn't help the issue either.
 
0123456789 123456789 123456789 123456789 123456789 123456789

>
> As for interoperability - this is a primary reason to get away from
> using Microsoft - they work very hard to break interoperability, so
> waiting for perfect interoperability with them is waiting for a day
> that will never arrive - it's a perpetually and deliberately moving
> target.
>

OpenOffice is an attempt at interoperability.  It is all that
Is realy needed for some people. ^_^  For others, it is not
enough.  I think overall it is better for those who have the
ability to do so to move away from reliance on Microsoft
products.  Note however, that some people do not have this
option.  Microsoft produces some pretty programs.  :P  Some
people like them.  When one of those people is your employer,
it is hard to get away from it.

<snip random bashing of Vista>
> 
> But that's the problem - they play dirty hard ball!  It's not a very
> fair fight, which is why people (cough-cough) sometimes get passionate
> and angry about their dirty business practices.
> 

Believe it or not, I have talked to a number of people who
are running Vista.  Those who are running machines that
meet the system's suggested requirements are actually
having a fairly easy time using the software, and experience
far fewer crashes than with Windows XP.  People actually
seem to LIKE windows Vista.  There are a lot still that
preffered XP, because it allowed more control.  There have
been many also that were afraid of Vista because of DRM issues.

That brings up another issue.  DRM, and anti-DRM mentality.
Most of the windows users I have spoken to that were really
anti-DRM had one thing in common.  They were afraid that the
system would either stop them from watching their pirated
movies, or worse, report them for it.  Once they realised
that was not an issue, Vista was good for them too. :(

Do we REALLY want to fight the DRM issue?  Do we REALLY want
Linux to be known as the easiest operating system to Pirate
videos with?  The reason I ask this is because that is what
many people are starting to think.  The Free and Open Source
movements are about rights.  I am not sure what the FSF is
Up to at the moment, but it seems to me that a developers
rights are just as important as the end users.  This is why
There is such a big issue about Copy Right.  DRM is something
that is imposed by the owner of a copy right.  It is not
something that the OS just magically decides to apply.  If
the media is not marked as DRM protected, then even Vista
is perfectly happy to let you copy away.  Saying that you
are anti DRM is basically saying that the author of a
program, song, or movie, does not have the right to market
their non-free-licensed product in the manner which they wish.

I am not a big fan of DRM.  This is mainly because I am in
favor of a more open environment.  However, I am not one to
buy into all of the fud and hype that is out there.  I do not
see DRM as the mark of the anti-christ. ^^;;


>
> That said, it's counterproductive to foam at the
> mouth and the best defense is offense, not just digging in and waiting
> for the weather to clear.
> 

While this is true, we need to make sure we understand just
who our opposition is.  If you are going to fight a battle,
make sure to target your enemy, not his shadow.  Study both
sides of the conflict.  Understand both sides strengths and
weaknesses.  You can only hope to make and keep ground under
Those circumstances.

The Linux community spends too much time focusing on Microsoft's
shadow.  They preffer to fight the illusion rather than the
real thing.  They look at the picture painted by RMS and others.
They look at all the fud, and many see it as gospel.  They are
shooting arros at a target that is not realy there.  There is
a real target.  Just aim for center mass, not three feet above
It's head.  Sometimes a goblin is just a goblin, and not a troll. :P

-- 
Ken