Slashdot Mirror
A Former Microsoftie Forecasts Microsoft Doom
Chris Holland writes "Jeff Reifman, a columnist for Seattle Weekly, has written a toe-curling editorial analysis of Microsoft's past and current missed opportunities, contrasted with its financial success, while covering in fair depth some of the most serious threats to their business model. Beyond the many choice quotes, I've found this article to be a very interesting read from somebody who has not only been on the inside, but also significantly developed his professional career thru Microsoft solutions."
This guy is definitely a real wizard hacker!
Even techno-geeks like me get annoyed by Windows. I'm tired of spending the first 10 minutes of my day rebooting just so I can get to work. Microsoft Outlook 2003, the latest version of the company's e-mail and calendar software, hangs for me about once a day, requiring me to restart my PC. I also have a problem with Word 2003: Whenever I bullet a line of text, every line in the document gets a bullet. Asking Windows to shut down is more of a request than a command--it might, it might not. And recently, Internet Explorer stopped opening for me.
In other words, TAKE A COURSE IN MS OFFICE! No, you are not a techno geek if you cannot get your windows machine stable. Especially if you cannot start IE anymore. My god, what a dweeb.
?The ability to log in to all our favorite Web sites with one password.
Security/privacy risk
?Spam blocking for our e-mail accounts.
?Calendar sharing with colleagues and friends to schedule meetings.
Privacy risk
?Automatic address book updates for all our contacts.
Privacy/virus risk
?A virtual hard drive on the Internet for sharing files, photos, and music with our friends and access to these files via the Internet while traveling anywhere in the world.
Privacy risk (if you're dumb enough to use it)
?Synchronization of our Internet bookmarks across all our computers.
Privacy risk
?Online profiles of personal information that we could choose to share with Web sites and social networks.
Privacy risk
?Regular backup of files to a storage site on the Internet.
Privacy risk
?Regular application and system- security updates.
Security risk
?One-step migration of files and programs to a new computer.
Security/privacy risk
Sorry dude, but you're still living in MS World.
I am no friend of Microsoft, but... You are saying a 100% mark-up for software is bad. Just because a company's numbers are in the billions does not nessesarily mean they no longer have a right to make money on their profit? And considering that the basic materials for a software product are cheap, and that the basic technology for Windows and Office has already been developed, I'm surprised the ratio isn't higher. We live in a capitalist world where you are allowed to squeeze as much as the market will bare. And, there is a realistic alternative, it's called Linux. And the desktop is just fine.
"Who are in control, they are not in control of anything - they don't even control themselves!" - Glen Beck
dress codes are not an abuse of human rights.
BWAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHA!!!!
"Why are Microsoft products so endlessly frustrating to use? Even techno-geeks like me get annoyed by Windows. I?m tired of spending the first 10 minutes of my day rebooting just so I can get to work. Microsoft Outlook 2003, the latest version of the company?s e-mail and calendar software, hangs for me about once a day, requiring me to restart my PC. I also have a problem with Word 2003: Whenever I bullet a line of text, every line in the document gets a bullet. Asking Windows to shut down is more of a request than a command?it might, it might not. And recently, Internet Explorer stopped opening for me. "
BWAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHA!!!
Hey, Windows trolls, HERE IS THE TRUTH! Read it and weep, suckers!
Mod this flamebait, mod this troll!
Is that all you got, huh? Are you nuts? Come at me!
Richard Steven Hack - This sig is TOO GODDAMN SHORT TO DO ANYTHING USEFUL WITH! MORONS!
You are a hippie. There are accepted standards of behaviour in society. Wearing jeans and tshirt and visible tattoos and facial pericings is not acceptable if you are a Fortune 500 CEO, a Prosecutor, or President. It is not acceptable in many other areas in life either. In the REAL WORLD you must do things even if you don't like them. It's just the way it is. You must learn to take orders before you can give orders. Now, finish high school, grow up, and stop listening to punk rock.
If Microsoft is a monopoly then please explain this whole Linux and OpenOffice.org thing to me. I was under the impression that they were an open source alternative to Microsoft Windows and an open source alternative to Microsoft Office respectively.