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Would You Date Microsoft?
teslatug writes "Channel9 has an interview with Bill Hilf of the Open Source Software Lab at Microsoft. Hilf argues that the majority of companies advocate open source solely so that they can drive customers to their core business, which is not open source. He calls this his 'donut theory.' Hilf also sees RedHat in this model, with support being their core. He compares this to dating, where you have to offer your date value in order to entice them. In his view, Microsoft offers developers a platform where they can make money selling their software. The virtues of 'free as in freedom' and the value of open source to the desktop users are skirted, but he makes an interesting point about big businesses like IBM and Oracle."
Wow. So IBM only supports Linux because it thinks it'll make them money? Next you're going to tell me that Apple only sells iPods for the same reason. Or that the purpose of a business is to make a profit.
Property is theft.
...She has too many viruses :(
Only if i can get half of everything after it.
Curiosity killed the cat, but cats have 9 lives.
How was this not moderated "Score 5, Funny"?
I'm generally "Interesting," "Insightful," and even "Funny" here. What the hell happens to me at parties?
Because it's mostly true?
Be wary of any facts that confirm your opinion.
Sorry, this is Slashdot. What is this concept of "date" you refer to?
I'd just never let it drive my car
Microsoft fucks you on the first date, marries you and forces you to an EULA - sorry, pre-nup - and turns into a wife who gets everything if you decide to leave her.
It's a date I'd avoid, thank you so very much.
Ignore this signature. By order.
I've tried all kinds of protection but none of them work.
Another +5 funny moderation.
"Sure there's porn and piracy on the Web but there's probably a downside too."
Hilf compares this to dating, where you have to offer your date value in order to entice them.
I feel sorry for the women who have been on dates with this guy...both of them!
Coming soon: "Increase your date value" spam.
No, Microsoft just sucks.
How was this not moderated "Score 5, Funny"?
Windows as a client OS is designed for the non-technical end user. The user who is not a Geek, who will never be a Geek, and shares none of the Geek's interests and values.
I am not a Geek, I only play one on Slashdot. In ten years of running Windows at home, five years with XP and broadband, I have made one call to Dell for technical support. I have never paid a dime for support, repairs, or services of any kind.
I have used an recovery disk once to solve a problem on boot. But I haven't found any reason to re-format a drive or re-install Windows.
The system is relatively well hardened against intrusion and malware. The core software and services are provided my cable ISP, no extra charge, and supplemented by a half dozen or so familiar tools like Ad-Aware.
Now and again I'll run an independent online scan as a reality check. But don't think I spend more than five minutes a week on average on any of this stuff. The automated scans work just fine, and nothing they have found has ever cost me any sleep.
...given the opportunity, no one here should deny a date with anyone, evil or not.
1999 just called - they want their Linux FUD back.
Real numbers - MS is what 90%+ of the market? If I wouldn't date them then I would be limiting myself to less than %10 of the available dates? And about 90% of the available girls in my area are a lot like Microsoft - bloated and overweight, and very high maintenance.
But google and I have been seeing each other lately -- I think it might be serious too, we've gone out every night this week.
It's true no man is an island, but if you take a bunch of dead guys and tie 'em together, they make a good raft.
1. No fecking media support!
Agreed. I really hate that Windows Media Player won't do Ogg audio or video, Flac, Xvid, aac, mov, real media, or even play DVD's without having to go download and install a codec pack.
2. Why the hell do I have to install a new kernel? Why?
When Windows tells you it's installing 'updates' or a 'service pack', do you really have ANY idea what's actually being changed? And why would it need a reboot afterwards, like it usually does, for anything less that a kernel upgrade? Linux never does.
3. Point 2 also breaks my nvidia drivers. I don't want to re-compile new drivers everytime there's a new 'patch'.
Another thing I really hate about Windows updates. I never know what application is going to break, and if just downloading the latest version is going to fix it or I'll have to spend half an hour on Google finding some DLL that has to be upgraded. At least with any package-based Linux distro, everything gets upgraded at the same time so there's half a chance it will all still work.
4. X-Windows. What a mess. Why do I have to tell it my x & y refresh rates for my monitor? Windows just 'knows'.
Another thing I hate about Windows. Ubuntu picks the best resolution and refresh rate my Monitor can handle, by default. And I can change it fairly easily if I need to. Windows gives me 800x600 at 60Hz. Duh! And 3d support? You wish! that's another download.
5. Lack of decent file-browser.
Yeah, because MSIE with a tacked on 'file browser' UI makes a really decent file browser! ROFL! You can't be serious...
I never liked Fedora either. Try Ubuntu; "easyubuntu" will install all the nonfree stuff, nvidia drivers, codecs, flash and java. You'll probably want to change the wallpaper, and colour scheme, and make it login automatically too... but once you customise it a little it's a really nice distro!
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