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____/ Sermo Malifer on Monday 02 March 2009 14:53 : \____
> That may be your intentions, but it comes off as dancing on somebody's
> grave.
Let's remember that Microsoft is not a person, it's a company. Just over 100
years ago when such corporations were created there was a huge uprise of
protests (primarily from what was considered Conservatives at the time) who
called it "communism". Corporations were to be treated as though they were
human entities with rights and they were run -- quite plainly speaking -- as
unaccountable private tyrannies.
Intel's vicious attacks on OLPC goes as far back as 2006 ('baby steps' era). It
was a good symbol of this troubling status quo where corporations even
sabotage or exploit non-profit charities. Their goals is one: increase profits
to please investors (never mind environment, human factors, ethics and so on).
Companies such as Intel were explicitly told that once in a while they must
perform PR (Bernays' new term for "propaganda" post WW2) to the cameras, or
else "the people will know what we are up to." (not exact quote, but a famous
one nonetheless).
It's important to distinguish between people and companies. People can change
companies and they usually care about their paycheck more than they care about
the trademark/brand name. If people who were to lose their job at Microsoft
could realise that it's a zero-sum game, wherein Microsoft's loss is someone
else's gain and better distribution of wealth ensues, then they would soon
seize the opportunity and create their own companies, potentially to gain at
Microsoft's expense based on merits that serve consumers, not merely 'choice'
imposed upon them.
So, this is not an attack on individuals but rather against a 'shell' that has
a criminal past. Its ruthless, ferocious management disregards very basic
rules. People will be redistributed differently in the workforce, that's all.
They may even help restore ethics and freedom now that the collusions between
the media and software industries weaken. The conglomerates too are crumbling
and those gaining are mostly on the Internet (Creative Commons too is a
winner). We're essentially escaping neo-Feudalism.
> Making Microsoft suffer shouldn't be the goal of using Linux.
Linus put it nicely when he said that Microsoft's demise will just be a side
effect of Linux' success. Microsoft's demise is merely a symptom of the
success of Linux. Just watch what Linux did to Windows margins in
sub-notebooks.
> The benefits you receive through using Linux are the reward.
True.
>> BTW, sorry for thinking you're Gary. You obviously are not, but he was
>> nymshifting a lot at the time...
>
> I accept your apology, and I suggest you not be so quick to judge in the
> future.
Yes, agreed. It's too easy to judge based on a few posts' tone, especially when
one person (Gary) creates a collection of about 500 'new' posters in COLA.
It's intended not only to disrupt but also make the prejudice which leads to
unnecessary hostilities (like you and I).
- --
~~ Best of wishes
Within reason, consider Free software. The best things in life are also free.
http://Schestowitz.com | RHAT GNU/Linux | PGP-Key: 0x74572E8E
17:00:01 up 23 days, 12:18, 2 users, load average: 0.59, 1.06, 1.04
http://iuron.com - help build a non-profit search engine
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