windows is doing fine shooting itself - leave linux alone

was going to make an image about shooting mafia style, but this is gangsta enough for me... congrats, cobra commander. [ image courtesy of gizmodo.com ]

Microsoft blames netbook appeal, marketing costs for Windows drop
January 22nd, 2009
"Many netbooks cannot run Vista, due to its higher resource requirements.
It is more about the growing percentage of netbooks, for which Microsoft is collecting some amount less-per-copy for Windows than it does with full-fledged notebooks and PCs."

clear, concise and to the point. a smart article. then there's this one:

Windows kicks Linux to the curb
January 25th, 2009

my first thoughts about this guy was that he just wanted to get the linux fan boys enthusiast all revved up. because, if you cut the first paragraph of this smart-@$$ article puff piece it would have seem a bit more sensible like the first one. but noooooo, he had to be a f#ck tard unprofessional about it.

so i would like to challenge that guy to answer if microsoft's FUD machine and sharks didn't have anything to do to derail the efforts for selling a simple and competitive product that just happens to not have windows installed. (here's a hint:)

Microsoft Antitrust: “The Linux Threat on the Desktop” (2006) and Predatory Response
01.22.09 (a few days before his article... dumb @$$ guess he wasn't keeping an eye on the interweb)

how about noting that vista's successor will be released in less than half the shelf live of its predecessor. or about things like this is still happening:

People Buying Used PCs for Salvage Copies of Windows XP
Dec 1 2008

let's put that aside and look at some more microsoft goodies.

Microsoft files pay-per-use PC patent
Dec 29, 2008

and a few days later:

Microsoft pay-as-you-go patent application rejected
Jan 2nd 2009

good thing this isn't a patent. (the patent office was open over new years day?) yet, there are posts that are actually in support of it. wtf wow.

Microsoft's Metered PC Idea Is Not Greedy. In Fact, It's Almost Brilliant
December 30, 2008

i don't know where you buy PC's for $1300 now a days. or why, when that's nearing Apple's territory... MS will sell it at $450? you can get that now at nearly any electronic box stores! and Dell always has fantastic laptop on sales with tricked out specs at rock bottom deals. here's a sale MicroCenter just had: $1299 Core 2 Duo, 2GB, 160GB, superdrive, 13.3" MacBook. yup. a MAC.

oh!!! i get it now. that guy was writing, "it's brilliant for Microsoft to convince people to not buy MACs and instead buy a PC with windows on it which will cost you $50 a month. and in 4-6 years time, you've just paid $2400-$3600 for that $450 PC." (btw, those are his numbers too.)

watta bargain. stupid @$$. not very cost effective if you ask me.


i guess you can't fault microsoft looking for new revenue sources. so how about one more for the road:

Microsoft's new vision: a computer in every... coffee maker?
January 12, 2009

yup, they are doing fine. windows is only good enough to power your coffee maker. you'll need to pay a yearly license to use it now. unless they forget to update their own certificate.

via joystiq.com

Microsoft needed to kill OLPC

the story that made everyone scratch their head:
Microsoft to Limit Capabilities of Cheap Laptops
pcworld.com May 9 2008

some good speculations:
Why is Microsoft underpowering One Laptop Per Child?
cnet.com May 13 2008

and then the final solution - use the sledge hammer to stamp out the competition:
Windows XP on the XO Laptop - Microsoft Buys Out OLPC
olpcnews.com May 15 2008
so i thought to myself and wondered about the whole low-end requirements. you should already know about where i stand in microsoft dictating the direction of any hardware design -- and they need to stay out of the way from what the PC manufacturers want to do.

at first, i thought the low-end PC requirements was to create such an unwanted experience that it would kill itself. but linux can run on very slim resources. i still run two ancient 300MHz sony vaio laptops who are notorious for not following using alternative port values on some common IO devices.

but i really think, IMHO, it's basically down to these two points:

1) when the ASUS eeepc (3E PC) laptops were coming out with larger hard drives on linux (20GB) versus the window (12GB) version (eee 900 series), the add-on perks gave the perception of what's a better value with a hard tangible product on a system that provided basically the same functionalities. this made the choice of what OS running on it a secondary thought.

2) and i believe this is ultimately the main reason why microsoft want XP or what ever else they can put on a computer, on any computer; to get a person familiar with an OS where they will learn usability habits. this is one major sticking point i run into all the time when trying to teach/help people on how to use/fix computers. after someone learns a pretty complex behavior, they tend to stick to it and refuse to change in fear of learning more complex routines. that is, until they find something else that's easier to use.

i can't tell you how many people i know who switched to MACs and completely forget how to use a windows box in less than 4 months (shortcut, hot keys, where things are located, etc. -- usability).

but if you ask me, microsoft has also done a fine job doing this themselves by moving all of the configuration panels to who-knows-where-it-didn't-make-sense on their latest vista product. this basically required any one who knew anything from NT up to XP in a production house to re-learn all the little nuance again. not to mention the fact that it was also a huge problem integrating shared networks with vista and XP without upgrading all kinds of servers to make it vista aware.

you might as well get a MAC if you're going to re-learn some new system. that platform is by far the most user friendly, graphical eye pleasing and the most intuitive computer to use. i've been recommending that to everyone i know. disclaimer: i don't own any MACs, i've just used a lot of them. and i only build linux and bsd boxes.

i command line tools.