Where are those stubs..

[Jerry]

On Wed, 20 Jul 2011 15:43:06 +0100
david at gbenet.com articulated:

> Hi Jerry,
> 
> I don't hate any one for using Microsoft - I even beta-tested Windows
> 3.11 and Windows 95/98 till I realised that though we filed bug
> reports Microsoft in Ireland took no notice.

I don't want to get into a long drawn out discussion on this issue, so
I will make this brief.

Your analogy is faulty. It is comparative to someone saying that that
are not prejudice against blacks because they have one as a friend.

Interestingly enough, a few years ago while doing Beta testing on the
Office Suite, I filed a report on a possible bug/problem. I received a
telephone call two days later asking for more specific details. Perhaps
your submissions were considered PEBKaC anomalies.

> And as an ex-Chairman and ex-Vice President of a US Company we had an
> ethical trading policy to which the Microsoft Corporation failed to
> comply with. They still seem to be facing problems in the EU.

The EU is a group of neo-fascists/socialists backed to a large extend
by Opera. You would have a better chance of getting a fair hearing as a
black man standing trail with a jury of the KKK than a capitalistic
corporation has in front of the EC, or as it has been called, the
USSREC.

> If I were to suggest that you should support your local bank robber
> or mugger and give them every assistance and that all criminals be
> released - you would suggest that I was mad. Microsoft does engage in
> illegal business practices - and are supported by millions every day
> with their lock in licences and anti-competitive practices.

Google is presently under investigation for anti-monopoly laws in the
US. Personally, I have always felt that the anti-monopoly laws in the
US were designed for the robber barons, AKA train & steel and oil
corporation. However, if you are going to use it against on entity, then
you have to apply it uniformly. In any case, your analogy is faulty
since you are comparing business law with criminal law.

> I just have a better grasp of business ethics and better grasp in
> recognising software freedom - but I don't hate people for their
> ignorance of Microsoft's bad and illegal business practices.

Wow, at least, well according to you anyway, you are not an
indiscriminate hater. How thoughtful of you.

> Most people have Microsoft on their desktop or laptop without any
> choice. They do not have the freedom of choice. Most people like my
> girlfriend just switch on their laptop or desktop and use it without
> any knowledge that there are alternatives.

Absolutely, F**ken Bulls**t. You always have a choice. The truth of the
matter is that your girlfriend, or any other individual for that
matter, choose an OS that they can actually just turn on and have it
work without spending days attempting to get simple things like
wireless, printers, etcetera operational. Hell, I use FreeBSD as a
hobbyist OS on two machines and it doesn't even support the wireless
"N" protocol after over 5 years. The list goes on and on. People tend
to use what works best for them. Even more so, they use what works best
in their environment.

> As some one said "Microsoft gives you Windows - Linux gives you the
> whole house" that whole house is for free. Microsoft lock you in -
> they lock companies in too. They engage in illegal business practices.
> 
> I often find it odd that people when they get to know about
> Microsoft's illegal business practices that they continue to have a
> Microsoft Operating System on the desktop or laptop. Companies that
> sell desktops and laptops operate with very small margins - but the
> licence that goes to Microsoft is constant about 12 years ago it was
> a fact that IBM paid Microsoft a licence fee for every machine it
> sold - $400 USD. So when desktops or laptops are sold in a sale there
> is no reduction of licence fee which remains a constant.

I need a citation for that. I did a quick search and found nothing
even beginning to approach this $400 mark. In any case, how long has it
been since IBM ceased PC production?

> A computer buyer can not go into say PC World and say "I like that HP
> or Acer, but I will buy it with or without an operating system or
> with a Linux distro installed." They have no choice. Microsoft's
> business policy is "No choice but Microsoft for the general consumer
> and for the business user."

The manufacturer has all ready purchased a license to include the OS
installed. If you don't want it, erase it. How much simpler can it
get. 99% of PC buyers, and the percentage may even be higher, want a PC
with a fully functional OS installed. How many PCs would any store sell
if they came sans OS? I can probably count the number on one hand.

As far a the "Linux" installed, you most certainly can. Do a web
search, but don't use Google. They are under investigation (in more
than one country too).

> I support freedom of choice - I support ethical business practices.
> Microsoft Corporation does not support any ethical principles. It is
> not a question of "I hate Microsoft." I don't support unethical or
> illegal business practices.

I assume for starters that you don't use Google, purchase diamonds, you
wouldn't want to support another monopoly (De Beers), etcetera.

> I also think that the majority of computer users are in ignorance.
> But you can Google and see for yourself the basis of business
> practice by Microsoft Corporation. Oh and once IBM had a licence for
> Windows - IBMers are not told to talk about that.

Now you really need to supply a citation.

> But once you do know - then you have a choice - continue to support
> anti-competitive unethical and illegal business practices of the
> Microsoft Corporation or if you support ethical good practice and no
> criminal activity. Your choice as everyone else's.

What you are really trying to enforce is the concept of socialism. You
don't hate Microsoft, or any other corporation specifically. You are
using this pseudo "business practice" scenario as a smoke screen to
cover up the fact that you are really an anti-capitalist. You want
software to be free. I have no problem with that as long as it does not
deprive an individual of his due compensation. You usually get what you
pay for.

> As an oldy (63) I prefer plain txt. I don't admonish people for
> sending me HTML with all manner of fancy fonts - I just accept it.

If the worst thing anyone ever did was send me an HTML formatted
message, I would be a happy man.

For the record, Microsoft did not invent the HTML(1) format. That is
attributed to physicist Tim Berners-Lee. Guess what, he didn't even work
for Microsoft either.

(1) http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/HTML

-- 
Jerry ✌
GNUPG.user at seibercom.net
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