In a few weeks, I'll mark my third anniversary of being independant of Microsoft.
1. Stability. Win2000 was getting too unstable. Even after reinstalling every year. 2. DRM. My computer is mine. It does what *I* tell it to do, not what some greedy media company tells it to (or not to) do. 3. Tools. Tools. Tools. I have a wide variety of ways to automate tasks. With Microsoft, you have to use their tools - or work much harder. 4. Security. I've gotten several viruses via mail. Do you know how much damage they do to my system? None. 5. Software options. I have so many software options with Linux it's dizzying. From free to loads of money. I can choose what is the best value for me. 6. Performance. Linux simply runs faster than Windoze. 7. Ease of installation. I recently tried reinstalling Win98 on an old laptop. 3 reboots later, it was running - sort of. Then after loading the driver CD - and 5 more reboots later - I could start loading the applications. 2 reboots after that, I had a working... Portable DVD player and wireless network browser. Mandrake 10 Official installed in 1/4 the time, 1 reboot - and that included installation of all applications. 8. Ease of support. Keeping my software updated doesn't corrupt my system (unlike using Windows Update). 9. I believe that supporting a monopoly - especially an abusive one - is unamerican.
People wouldn't have problems with taxes if they were used for that.
But seeing as my health costs keep going up, the education system is going down and unemployment benefits run out (even though the lazy and the stupid get all the money they want), it would seem that our tax dollars are not spent well.
Regardless of the legality, taxes are punishments. Sales tax is probably the worst punishment of all since it makes everything you purchase cost more, but does not increase the value of the item purchased.
People, obviously, do not like to be punished - especially when they do not feel like they are doing something wrong. So people are going to avoid punishments (i.e. taxes) whenever possible.
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In a few weeks, I'll mark my third anniversary of being independant of Microsoft.
1. Stability. Win2000 was getting too unstable. Even after reinstalling every year.
2. DRM. My computer is mine. It does what *I* tell it to do, not what some greedy media company tells it to (or not to) do.
3. Tools. Tools. Tools. I have a wide variety of ways to automate tasks. With Microsoft, you have to use their tools - or work much harder.
4. Security. I've gotten several viruses via mail. Do you know how much damage they do to my system? None.
5. Software options. I have so many software options with Linux it's dizzying. From free to loads of money. I can choose what is the best value for me.
6. Performance. Linux simply runs faster than Windoze.
7. Ease of installation. I recently tried reinstalling Win98 on an old laptop. 3 reboots later, it was running - sort of. Then after loading the driver CD - and 5 more reboots later - I could start loading the applications. 2 reboots after that, I had a working... Portable DVD player and wireless network browser.
Mandrake 10 Official installed in 1/4 the time, 1 reboot - and that included installation of all applications.
8. Ease of support. Keeping my software updated doesn't corrupt my system (unlike using Windows Update).
9. I believe that supporting a monopoly - especially an abusive one - is unamerican.
People wouldn't have problems with taxes if they were used for that.
But seeing as my health costs keep going up, the education system is going down and unemployment benefits run out (even though the lazy and the stupid get all the money they want), it would seem that our tax dollars are not spent well.
Regardless of the legality, taxes are punishments. Sales tax is probably the worst punishment of all since it makes everything you purchase cost more, but does not increase the value of the item purchased.
People, obviously, do not like to be punished - especially when they do not feel like they are doing something wrong. So people are going to avoid punishments (i.e. taxes) whenever possible.