Microsoft debunks Linux myths

Finally Microsoft - in the person of vice-president Jim Allchin, amongst others - speaks the truth. Not because they want to, but because they are forced to. The quotes in this article are taken from the exhibits 7168 and 7175 of the "Comes vs. Microsoft" case, which were published by Roy Schestowitz. Note that these protocols were made in 2002, when Linux was much less mature. The same applies to Windows, of course. It is up to you to decide how much progress each platform has made since then.

Linux is just as expensive as Windows

Cost is a first thing on everyone’s mind right now given the economy and pressure on cost reduction. (..) We really need some here. (..) If the IDC report won’t cut it, then we get another one done. Some customers know that Linux isn’t really free, but we need to help the other customers see this.

Microsoft admits that Linux is cheaper than Windows since it is willing to "investigate" this over and over again until it gets the results it wants. Yes, this was the start of the classic "Get the facts" FUD campaign. It also shows that Microsoft has no scruples whatsoever to buy fake reports or to bribe editors and journalists in order to obtain the publicity it so desperately needs.

Windows is just as capable as Linux

So what I want to know is how, from your perspective, are our products not matching up today; what should we, in your opinion, be doing about it?

Linux is getting in some places based on the fact that customers are trying to scale up and they can’t run applications independently/safely on Windows.

Customers are very smart about the problems (eg., registry issues, lack of support from 3rd parties (..), etc.)

Customers are very disappointed (outright angry!).

Microsoft states several times that their products are seriously lacking in various aspects and Linux is fully capable of filling that gap, since it doesn't have these problems in the first place.

Linux is difficult to use

So is Linux going to be harder? I disagree with you. (..) Click, click, click you’re done. Same thing with Linux.

It’s going to get even easier. It will catch up with utilities and so on. And it’s already there. So I think it’s very close to being there.

Yes, Microsoft says "Linux is easy"! So, don't take my word for it; ask the "experts"!

Windows is just as secure as Linux

What can we do - what’s the number one problem with Microsoft that you have? Security.

And like I said, there’s nothing we can do to - every time we try to - we got the FBI involved, but our hands are tied.

I mean, it’s not like Linux or Solaris or - you pick your system.

Microsoft acknowledges that Windows has a serious security problem, unlike Solaris or Linux systems. In the same sentence they also debunk the myth that Windows problems are solely due to their marketshare. The funny thing is that they try to "fix" their problems by pursuing the perpetrators. Although that is not a bad idea, it won't make Windows any more secure.

Linux is not a threat to Windows

My conclusion: We are not on a path to win against Linux We must change some things and we must do it immediately.

I have more and more clients asking me about it.

Is it something to worry about? I believe so.

We feel a huge threat from Linux.

I am scared.

Your honor, I rest my case.

Why Windows users are still whiners

"Oh, you Linux lovers are just a bunch of whiners. You can use absolutely zero useful applications on Linux. All useful software is made for Windows, and a little bit for Macs. Linux is dragging along cause of Java and its servers uses. But seriously, get over it. Why not waste your time making the Linux experience better rather than whining like babies about how no one wants to use your supposedly almighty and all purposeful Linux."

Just an ordinary comment on an ordinary website, less than a year ago. This is the sort of comment we, Linux users and developers have to put up with each and every time. Linux is useless, just a toy, no applications worth mentioning. So how have I survived the last ten years, how did I get my work done? Those trolls claim I've been using the CLI! I've surfed the web using Lynx, used Mutt to read my email and typed raw LaTeX in Vi. I've installed Linux by endlessly editing /etc files, writing my own device drivers and compiled and tweaked the kernel until it fit.

This kind of FUD (some use the term SOFUD, "same old FUD") is used until this day. And as usual, we should sit back and relax. Well, not on my watch, so I decided to write "Windows users are whiners". This article repeats the same FUD all over again and provides some arrogant answers to settle this once and for all. It says "Dear developers, you've done an excellent job. It's not your fault people don't want to change. People don't want to change because they want an effortless transition". Because changing Operating Systems takes some effort. You may have to convert or edit some content. Hell, sometimes you even have to recreate or reformat content. If you don't want to do that, that's alright with me, but don't blame it on the system. Linux will never be a Windows clone. If you want a Windows clone, wait for ReactOS.

It is not very hard to find any Windows related pages where Linux is bashed and the same old FUD is repeated until your head hurts. What surprised me even more when I researched this article is that there are enough pages where Windows proponents are bashing each other with the same vigor as Linux. If you don't migrate to Vista or Windows 7, you are a whiner, because your complaints are just not real. You're obviously doing something wrong, using bad hardware or using bad drivers, because this masterpiece Microsoft has produced cannot be blamed for your problems.

If that is the attitude you have towards your peers, what will you do to your opponents? So next time you want to take the moral higher ground ask yourself this question: what have you done to earn that position?

Your average Joe Tuxpack

Since when are you a Linux user?
Since February 2000.

Was it difficult to do your first install?
Not really. I took a day off to install Linux, a dual boot installation with MS-DOS. At the end of the day about 80% of the functionality I needed was covered by Linux. Nowadays it is much easier to install Linux. It essentially installs itself. It recognizes your hardware and installs the appropriate drivers.

Did you especially select your hardware for Linux?
Partially. Nowadays I do some research before I buy my hardware. Better prevented than cured.

Was there hardware you never got to work with Linux?
A parallel port scanner.

Did you have any prior knowledge of Unix?
Yes, I had worked with Unix before. It helped only a little, since there are so many other concepts connected with Linux. The only moment it was really valuable is when I connected an old Wyse-50 terminal to the serial port.

Have you ever compiled a kernel?
No.

Have you ever written a device driver?
No.

Have you ever compiled a device driver?
Yes once, for a floppy based tape drive. I can't help it, I like old, exotic equipment.

Have you ever compiled an application?
Yes. ./configure; make; su; make install. Extremely difficult. Not.

Does every application have to be compiled this way?
No. When you've done a fresh install of a reasonably new distribution you can pretty much get any application over the net using a GUI. Just tick what you need. The package manager will get the applications you require, resolve all dependencies automatically and install them. You don't even have to click a "Continue" button. If the application is not available, yes, then you have to follow the procedure I described. After about two years your distribution is usually no longer supported, which means newer versions of your applications are not available. You have to follow the same procedure if you want to install them.

Can't you upgrade?
Yes, but it is not without risks. I prefer not to change a running system. Others do a reinstall of a newer distribution. It is a personal preference.

Are you a proficient programmer?
I'm pretty good at C and Forth. I can do some shell scripting, some PHP, some HTML. I can figure out what is going on in most programming languages.

Linux is a FOSS system. Do you have your own projects?
Yes, I have an active project called "4tH". It is a bytecode Forth compiler. I have other projects too, but I haven't updated them in a long time.

You are pretty much a FOSS person. Do you hate Microsoft users?
No!! I've been providing versions of "4tH" for MS-DOS and MS-Windows since the start of the project. I've also created a MS-Windows port for the Arena project. The great majority of FOSS projects support MS-Windows, like KDE4, Gnome, etc. Fortunately, because I use them myself. Note there are FOSS initiatives like Wine, ReactOS and Linux Unified Kernel which most FOSS users do not object at all.

What is your Windows experience?
Personally, I've used Windows up to Windows 98. That is, within a virtual machine, but that seems to count nowadays. Native, I've used Windows up to Windows 3.11. For work, I use Windows every day. The latest version I've used is Windows XP.

Do you hate Microsoft?
I don't hate Microsoft, but I think I speak for many FOSS users if I say we would feel better if its grip on the industry is significantly diminished. Microsofts business practices have been questionable at best and illegal at times. But please don't use the word "hate" anymore. What we feel is an objection, not an emotion.

Are there times you require Microsoft products?
Yes, when absolute compatibility with proprietary MS formats is required, e.g. PowerPoint. Most of the time OpenOffice handles those requirements very well. Internet Explorer runs on Linux.

How much time do you spend on the CLI?
Me, quite a lot. But I do that on both Linux and Windows. My girlfriend hasn't seen a CLI in all her life, including her Linux life.

Is Linux really much more secure than Windows?
Absolutely. People say it is because Linux is such a small target, Windows having a 88% marketshare, but that is just not true. That's just another myth Windows proponents play out each and every time. Compare it to Firefox. Firefox is not a small target, but it is much more secure than Internet Explorer.

What is the biggest hurdle to move to Linux?
The biggest hurdle is that you have to learn everything all over again. You have to learn how to use OpenOffice, GIMP, Apache, Linux, etc. Not everyone is prepared to do that.

Is there something you can't do with Linux?
Video editing is still a minor issue, but everything else can be done with Linux. Note that I compile and package my 4tH compiler under Linux. Those packages have never seen an MS-DOS or MS-Windows machine until you install them.

What do you like about Linux?
It's stabile, predictable, great uptime, wonderful latency, a beautiful, state-of-the-art GUI, no DRM and the license is more than reasonable. That's why I decided to convert all my shareware programs to FOSS. It is my way to give something back to the community. I feel that is better than just to provide return to shareholders.

What do you recommend to Windows users who want to convert to Linux?
Start using FOSS applications. There are plenty of those available for Windows. Use Firefox, OpenOffice, GIMP, Dia, LyX, they're all free of charge. The next time you're faced with buying a new system, buy one that has Linux preinstalled or no OS at all. That will save you at least $100 in unused Windows licenses. You can get Ubuntu disks free of charge or you can download the distribution of your choice from the web. It will have all the applications you need or you can download them from the web.

People might find it difficult to choose a distribution.
I know there are so many to choose from. Safe choices are Fedora, (K)ubuntu and OpenSuSE. There is plenty of support for those. That doesn't mean others are "bad", on the contrary.

What desktop should I choose?
Most users use KDE or Gnome. Again, that doesn't mean others are "bad". Personally, I'm a KDE 3.5.x user. If you choose one environment you still can use applications that are written for another desktop environment, e.g. I use Dia and GIMP although they are written for Gnome.

What if I run into a problem?
Use Google! If you still can't figure it out, you can contact the numerous forums and newsgroups there are for these distributions.

I gladly want to switch to Linux, but there is this single application I need to have.
Try to get it to run under Wine. If not, you can always install QEMU or VirtualBox.

Something else?
We don't bite. We just get irritated sometimes.