Slashdot Mirror
Microsoft's 'Hands-On' Linux Lab
aneroid writes "eWeek has a story on Microsoft allowing a third party to present a 'hands-on lab' that allowed attendees to play with a range of Linux desktop software at its annual worldwide partner show in Minnesota this weekend. It was run by Don Johnson (not the actor), who explained in true MS style how the things that are considered wrong with Windows are planned or an advantage. Whether it's for the desktop or server, wasn't clear. People did get to 'see the Apache Web server in action' and a KDE desktop.Is this more of a preemptive strike where the Linux experience is so bad (slow machines, old software) they wouldn't bother to check it out in the future, thus securing an existing partner/client? Or are they that confident people won't stray if they're invited to sample the competition? According to the Register, 'Microsoft is unlikely to stop developers moving to Linux and open source so its best hope lies in articulating a strategy of co-existence to limit the 'damage' to its business.'"
You forgot WinME!
Oh wait - it's better if everyone forgets WinME. We all know MS are trying to...
The Mothership
Ladies and gentlemen please watch my assistant as amazing new Microsoft Windows Longhorn cleans tough stains like wine! Blood! Grass! Pet Stains! The leading competetive product still leaves unsightly stains behind even after three applications! Now watch as amazing Microsoft Windows Longhorn foams away denture stains like magic, while the dentures cleaned with Linux are still brown and dirty! Ladies and gentlemen, please observe as amazing new Microsoft Windows Longhorn cuts right through tough grease, while Linux leaves dishes covered with spots! Who will pay just $299 for a subscription to this amazing new product? You sir! And you! And you ma'am, thank you very much! You sir! Thank you! Don't crowd, there's plenty for everybody!
and it was obvious from the get-go that Microsoft was trying to make Linux look bad. Not only were the running KDE (does anyone use that?), they didn't have Emacs installed (just vi w/o the X version), and they were running it on some pretty crappy hardware; a PIII w/ 128mb of RAM, a toaster, an old shoe, and a moldy piece of toast still in the toaster (which they were calling a Linux blade solution).
/., wrote "erpCON 2005" on their white button down shirts, and had an odor that was detectable from 30 feet away, again all before lunch).
Despite M$ stacking the deck against Linux the audience was captivated by the capabilities of the system and the posibilities of FOSS. I even saw two MBAs port Linux to their iPAQs, pull some code off the Internet, teach themselves C and perl, and write a complete ERP system for their business (which they are submitting to SourceForge soon) all before lunch (as an aside, in that same time they grew beards, joined
Amazing how Microsoft's attempts to undermine the community were undermined by the community.
It was run by Don Johnson (not the actor), who explained in true MS style how the things that are considered wrong with
Why should I change my name? He's the one who sucks.
I think we would be better served by a drop down menu with choices about deleting the last character, word, sentence, paragraph, etc. Perhaps this could be a new feature developed for Longhorn and backported to XP.
Oh, don't forget lots of "Are you sure?" boxes to click on.
Sorry for the rant, I've spent the last 8 hours supporting crappy MS programs for stupid people.
Don't save Windows XP! http://www.petitiononline.com/jjw1xp/petition.html
"Introduction to Christianity" courses by Osama Bin Laden.
What about Windows RG?