Roy Schestowitz wrote:
> I've had it up to HERE with the likes of Microsoft
Same here :)
>
> ,----[ Quote ]
> | When WGA was first implemented, certain free downloads from MS
> | were unavailable unless you installed something to "verify" you
> | didn't "pirate" your OS. Then comes the WGA "tool" that phones home
> | several times a day/week/month "verifying" your installation, and
> | now most interesting downloads from MS are blocked unless you
> | validate your OS. Add to this the certainty that Vista is going
> | to up the ante on WGA and MS found one less customer.
> |
> | Speaking of Vista, I tried out RC1 and found it slow, ill-conceived
> | and just plain ugly. You cannot change basic interface elements like
> | menus without warning. Things are moved all over the place, never got
> | a sense of uniformity, etc, etc. Bottom line - I hated it. Add this
> | to the unrest in my stomach over WGA and I found myself at the
> | crossroads.
> `----
>
> http://www.applexnet.com/node/549
As a Linux user I am in favor of WGA - and other restriction that
comes with Windows "flavor of the year". Such policy will help Linux
community, and GPL communities. Sadly Microsoft have change one policy,
now they are allowing more then one reinstall of Windows Vista.
Microsoft Will Allow Vista Reinstalls
http://slashdot.org/article.pl?sid=06/11/02/2055216&from=rss
Strangly enough - Microsoft PR's speak of "Hobbyists /
Enthuisist" in a positive way. Not long ago Mr. Gates used to send
letters to our parents from New Mexico and about software thives and
filthy hobbyists.
See yourself
----------------------------------------------------
AN OPEN LETTER TO HOBBYISTS
By William Henry Gates III
February 3, 1976
An Open Letter to Hobbyists
To me, the most critical thing in the hobby market right now is the
lack of good software courses, books and software itself. Without good
software and an owner who understands programming, a hobby computer is
wasted. Will quality software be written for the hobby market?
Almost a year ago, Paul Allen and myself, expecting the hobby market to
expand, hired Monte Davidoff and developed Altair BASIC. Though the
initial work took only two months, the three of us have spent most of
the last year documenting, improving and adding features to BASIC. Now
we have 4K, 8K, EXTENDED, ROM and DISK BASIC. The value of the computer
time we have used exceeds $40,000.
The feedback we have gotten from the hundreds of people who say they
are using BASIC has all been positive. Two surprising things are
apparent, however, 1) Most of these "users" never bought BASIC (less
than 10% of all Altair owners have bought BASIC), and 2) The amount of
royalties we have received from sales to hobbyists makes the time spent
on Altair BASIC worth less than $2 an hour.
Why is this? As the majority of hobbyists must be aware, most of you
steal your software. Hardware must be paid for, but software is
something to share. Who cares if the people who worked on it get paid?
Is this fair? One thing you don't do by stealing software is get back
at MITS for some problem you may have had. MITS doesn't make money
selling software. The royalty paid to us, the manual, the tape and the
overhead make it a break-even operation. One thing you do do is prevent
good software from being written. Who can afford to do professional
work for nothing? What hobbyist can put 3-man years into programming,
finding all bugs, documenting his product and distribute for free? The
fact is, no one besides us has invested a lot of money in hobby
software. We have written 6800 BASIC, and are writing 8080 APL and 6800
APL, but there is very little incentive to make this software available
to hobbyists. Most directly, the thing you do is theft.
What about the guys who re-sell Altair BASIC, aren't they making money
on hobby software? Yes, but those who have been reported to us may lose
in the end. They are the ones who give hobbyists a bad name, and should
be kicked out of any club meeting they show up at.
I would appreciate letters from any one who wants to pay up, or has a
suggestion or comment. Just write to me at 1180 Alvarado SE, #114,
Albuquerque, New Mexico, 87108. Nothing would please me more than being
able to hire ten programmers and deluge the hobby market with good
software.
Bill Gates
General Partner, Micro-Soft
----------------------------------------------------
I had Windows Vista install in my computer, I have removed it because I
prefer freedom -- that means Linux.
PS: What do you think of Novell and Microsoft sitcom? Some people are
worried of its affects on GPL, or worst it may turn into another
SCO/Caldera...
Moglen: Microsoft-Novell raises GPL questions
http://news.com.com/2061-10795_3-6132156.html
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