by Autobot032 » Mon Sep 03, 2007 3:09 am
- Weapon: Switch Blade Tail
I hate Microsoft for their practices.
1.)
Windows 95's shell design (and coding I believe) was stolen from Apple's current OS (at that time) when Bill Gates broke off from Apple and left Steve Jobs on his own. (Or this was after. Basically, regardless of time frame, Gates stole the ideas and design. Yes, he helped create it, but it was a joint venture between the two men, who were friends since College.)
2.)
They created a monopoly and made back door deals with computer manufacturers so that Windows would be the only OS on their systems. Other companies probably would've fought it (like Apple did), but gave in when they saw the trend. In fact, in foreign countries....their governments required that Windows be shipped *without* Windows Media Player and that the consumer would decide what they want on their personal computers. (Some countries won't even allow WMP if I recall correctly...)
3.)
They overprice their programs for way more than they're worth. Now don't get me wrong, I realize the years of extensive work and coding is worth time and money, I really do. However, (and I got this tidbit of info from my uncle who is a Microsoft Certified Tech) beyond a certain point...the sales of the software have already been long paid for, and the discs they're coding, are literally a dime a dozen. No...it's the key (the friggin' KEY!) that nets them their dough. Anyone can slap a Windows XP, ME, 98, 95 disc in their computer, even if it came from a Dell, and you're using a Compaq....as long as you have a key to unlock the disc, that software will load. That should tell you just about how inexpensive and relatively worthless these discs really are.
4.)
They corner the market everywhere. They're the operating system, they're music program (WMP), they're instant messenger (Windows Live), they're now the Anti-Virus, Anti-Spyware, etc (Windows Live One Care), now...granted you don't have to buy all of their products, but the uninformed would automatically do it and say "Well...it's made by the same company. We need it, right?"
5.)
Systems become dependent upon their software. Some Vista PCs won't even run XP, or ME (not that anyone would, just saying) and Vista itself is a crapshoot that won't work half the time, so you're stuck with an expensive PC that's personal, but doesn't do much in the computing department. In fact, my cousin just bought a fully loaded Dell Dimension desktop with Vista included. No one told her that her iPod wouldn't work with it (in fact they told her it WOULD!) and when she connected it and it couldn't figure a way to make a compromise between the two systems...it literally damaged her computer. Her one onboard USB port doesn't work anymore, and the tech support said it could spread to the other ports, and even nullify the board's ability to handle USB anything, even if she installed a 2.0 card that handles the task itself. The least we should be able to do is put our PC back to the way it was before, especially if we can't even work with the one we have just spent our savings on.
On the flipside:
They have made some great strides in computing. They made it accessible for everyone from the age of 5 to 105, and it's able to be set up to be so simple, a monkey could do it.
They made it accessible for the hard of hearing and those with difficulty with sight. They've made it accessible for the handicapped.
They've made a fantastic gaming system (XBox/XBox360) that does everything you ask of it and more. (Although, considering that they die 50/50 when you pull 'em out of the box...is it really everything you asked for??)
They do stand behind their products, and they will work with you if you're willing to work with them.
They have the Bill Gates Foundation which has donated billions of dollars for AIDS research, educational programs worldwide. Even I have to give Gates credit, there is a good, stand up guy inside of him, once you get past the obnoxious logos, Start Menu, all the options and the bad Windows scheme.
NOTE:
I do realize that more and more PCs are giving you alternatives such as Linspire (a Windows based design on the Linux OS, and I have to say Linspire shows promise, but has a lot of bugs that need work.) and I also realize that you don't have to buy a PC or their upgrades. But what about the simple fact of just being able to want to? And in the simplest, cheapest way possible. There's no sin in that.
Linspire is one step in the right direction, and it's relatively easy for a novice Linux user to grapple with, and a Windows user (due to Linspire's setup) could wrangle it in time. But I found it to be terribly unstable. I couldn't get certain programs to load, I couldn't get music or video files to play because the codecs available were out of date and just wouldn't work.
Other versions of Linux, you have to learn how to program it in (whereas Linspire has a special download/installer program) and I don't know about you, but if you're like me...you're likely to get in over your head. Hell, I jammed the entire computer just trying to install the damned Winamp.
Another board I go to, there's a Canadian guy who refuses Microsoft products because of what they stand for, and he likes the open source ideas behind Linux, but even he said he'd love to have a stable version of Windows that could do all Linux does, but it doesn't exist. (Though we're getting there.) And what good is that? Sure, it's as stable as a rock, but if all it does is sit there like a rock...have you truly gained anything?
I hate Microsoft for their ridiculous practices. I hate them for their monopoly. I hate that they force you to upgrade (and you do finally have to upgrade because a lot of programs on CD or online just won't cover you anymore.)
And those are real, justifiable reasons to hate Microsoft.
Even with the few positives here and there.
NOTE: Realize that I am not a perfect Christian, nor do I profess to be. I apologize if anyone's ever offended by me, I'm not perfect. Don't hold my posts and opinions against other Christians.
[ Click to attempt signal recovery... ]
