The ultimate Windows apologists reference

Every now and then somebody attempts to debunk the usual Linux myths. Having quite some experience in that area I have a good idea of what will happen. If your article is picked up by the Windows community, you will get quite some comments. They usually will repeat the SOFUD and sneer at you and your beloved Operating System.

In order to save them some time and possibly prevent them from causing a devastating BSOD I've decided to collect their comments and publish them here, so they just need to reference this page. Here we go.

1.	You will have to waste hours learning a new OS and applications. (So what is the difference?)
2.	I like Windows, it works for me. (Writing this blog with pins stuck in my face works for me, but I can imagine more comfortable ways to do it.)
3.	You can’t play any games on Linux. (We are not accustomed to use our multihundred dollar equipment for such trivial undertakings. We use it to write kernels, compilers and next generation web deamons. Klondike is all we need for passing the time between compiles.)
4.	You’re pathetic, Linux has a 0.00001% marketshare. If it really were this good, there would be more. (Just too many pointy haired CIOs that believe 'Get the facts' reports).
5.	Amateur applications, there is nothing like Photoshop, Premiere etc. etc. (Most Windows users spend their time cleaning up the skin imperfections of the models on the cover of 'Playboy' and 'Vogue' instead of removing the red eyes on their holiday snapshots. They probably even paid for it. Good point.)
6.	Microsoft spends billions on research. (Which brought us Bob, a talking paperclip and several bad Apple OS imitations.)
7.	All Windows problems are due to bad hardware, bad drivers, bad users. (And you said Linux was a religion?)
8.	I’m a Windows user so I’m too dumb to come up with any real arguments; I’d rather repeat the SOFUD and put my fingers in my ears when somebody makes a point. Lalalalala. I'm not hearing you, I'm not hearing you!

Sigh. No wonder Microsoft is turning to FOSS experts in its search for intelligence..

Jim Allchin: Microsoft is losing it

The "Comes vs. Microsoft" case continues to provide interesting information. Here is an email from Jim Allchin dating January 7, 2004 addressed to Bill Gates and Steve Ballmer.

I am not sure how the company lost sight of what matters to our customers (both business and home) the most, but in my view we lost our way. I think our teams lest sight of what bug-free means, what resilience means, what full scenarios mean, what security means, what performance means, how important current applications are, and really understanding what the most important problems our customers face are. I see lots of random features and some great vision, but that doesn’t translate into great products. I would buy a Mac today if I was not working at Microsoft. Longhorn is a pig and I don’t see any solution to this problem. If we are to rise to the challenqe of Linux and Apple, we need to start taking the lessons of "scenario, simple, fast" to heart.

Note this was sent shortly before the development reset of Vista, which was described in this article, that mysteriously disappeared from the Internet shortly after its first publication. Even the Wikipedia reference to the WSJ is missing.



For those who like to quote Mahatma Gandhi ("First they ignore you, then they laugh at you, then they fight you, then you win") it proves that Linux had passed the "laughing" phase a lot sooner than most assume. Knowing Microsofts business practices, we all know what that means. For those who want to call the FOSS community paranoid, please try again.