Life after Windows: What happens to tech if Microsoft dies

<quote> Life after Windows: What happens to tech if Microsoft dies By Randall C. Kennedy January 25, 2010 06:06 AM ET InfoWorld - It's the thought experiment we all like to engage in. What would life be like without Microsoft Windows? To listen to the free open source software crowd, the demise of Windows -- and by extension, Microsoft's hegemony over the PC universe -- would signal a kind of rebirth for information technology. Software would finally be free of the corporate shackles that have stifled innovation and dragged down the best and brightest among us. </quote> http://www.computerworld.com/s/article/9147878/Life_after_Windows_What_happens_to_tech_if_Microsoft_dies

On Mon, 25 Jan 2010 10:02:39 -0500, Ezekiel wrote: > <quote> > Life after Windows: What happens to tech if Microsoft dies > By Randall C. Kennedy > January 25, 2010 06:06 AM ET > > InfoWorld - It's the thought experiment we all like to engage in. What would > life be like without Microsoft Windows? To listen to the free open source > software crowd, the demise of Windows -- and by extension, Microsoft's > hegemony over the PC universe -- would signal a kind of rebirth for > information technology. Software would finally be free of the corporate > shackles that have stifled innovation and dragged down the best and > brightest among us. > </quote> > > http://www.computerworld.com/s/article/9147878/Life_after_Windows_What_happens_to_tech_if_Microsoft_dies That is a pretty bizarre article.

"Erik Funkenbusch" <erik@despam-funkenbusch.com> wrote in message news:17i2a7r6s0yla$.dlg@funkenbusch.com... > On Mon, 25 Jan 2010 10:02:39 -0500, Ezekiel wrote: > >> <quote> >> Life after Windows: What happens to tech if Microsoft dies >> By Randall C. Kennedy >> January 25, 2010 06:06 AM ET >> >> InfoWorld - It's the thought experiment we all like to engage in. What >> would >> life be like without Microsoft Windows? To listen to the free open source >> software crowd, the demise of Windows -- and by extension, Microsoft's >> hegemony over the PC universe -- would signal a kind of rebirth for >> information technology. Software would finally be free of the corporate >> shackles that have stifled innovation and dragged down the best and >> brightest among us. >> </quote> >> >> http://www.computerworld.com/s/article/9147878/Life_after_Windows_What_happens_to_tech_if_Microsoft_dies > > That is a pretty bizarre article. I saw Avatar this weekend, and that seemed more down to earth than some of the apocalyptic views he was talking about.

On Mon, 25 Jan 2010 11:21:35 -0500, Ezekiel wrote: >> That is a pretty bizarre article. > > I saw Avatar this weekend, and that seemed more down to earth than some of > the apocalyptic views he was talking about. While I agree with the basic premise that Microsoft out of the picture isn't going to create a panacea of innovation, Any "apocolypse" will be more like a slow slide to oblivion, like boiling a frog. Right now, it's Microsoft vs "everyone else", and "everyone else" are "my enemies enemy is my friend". Once the enemy is neutralized, then "my ex-enemies enemy is now my enemy" . In reality, Microsoft is probably promoting more innovation than would happen if they weren't around.

Erik Funkenbusch pulled this Usenet boner: > On Mon, 25 Jan 2010 10:02:39 -0500, Ezekiel wrote: > >> <quote> >> Life after Windows: What happens to tech if Microsoft dies >> By Randall C. Kennedy >> January 25, 2010 06:06 AM ET >> >> InfoWorld - It's the thought experiment we all like to engage in. What would >> life be like without Microsoft Windows? To listen to the free open source >> software crowd, the demise of Windows -- and by extension, Microsoft's >> hegemony over the PC universe -- would signal a kind of rebirth for >> information technology. Software would finally be free of the corporate >> shackles that have stifled innovation and dragged down the best and >> brightest among us. >> </quote> >> >> http://www.computerworld.com/s/article/9147878/Life_after_Windows_What_happens_to_tech_if_Microsoft_dies > > That is a pretty bizarre article. Yeah, I stopped reading partway through the first page. Predicting an apocalyptic free-for-all? I noticed "JEDIDIAH" posted a comment there. -- The only people for me are the mad ones -- the ones who are mad to live, mad to talk, mad to be saved, desirous of everything at the same time, the ones who never yawn or say a commonplace thing, but burn, burn, burn like fabulous yellow Roman candles. -- Jack Kerouac, "On the Road"

Erik Funkenbusch wrote: >Right now, it's Microsoft vs "everyone else", and "everyone else" are "my >enemies enemy is my friend". Once the enemy is neutralized, then "my >ex-enemies enemy is now my enemy" . So? At least then it won't be one company dominating. >In reality, Microsoft is probably promoting more innovation than would >happen if they weren't around. LOL "Microsoft good." "The killer of competition is good." "The strangler of innovation is good." Bullshit.

On Mon, 25 Jan 2010 10:19:41 -0600, Erik Funkenbusch wrote: > On Mon, 25 Jan 2010 10:02:39 -0500, Ezekiel wrote: > >> <quote> >> Life after Windows: What happens to tech if Microsoft dies >> By Randall C. Kennedy >> January 25, 2010 06:06 AM ET >> >> InfoWorld - It's the thought experiment we all like to engage in. What would >> life be like without Microsoft Windows? To listen to the free open source >> software crowd, the demise of Windows -- and by extension, Microsoft's >> hegemony over the PC universe -- would signal a kind of rebirth for >> information technology. Software would finally be free of the corporate >> shackles that have stifled innovation and dragged down the best and >> brightest among us. >> </quote> >> >> http://www.computerworld.com/s/article/9147878/Life_after_Windows_What_happens_to_tech_if_Microsoft_dies > > That is a pretty bizarre article. That's waaaaaaaay out there ! I had to check to make sure it wasn't written by Art Bell or George Noori. -- 1/25/2010 12:13:54 PM

On 2010-01-25, Chris Ahlstrom <ahlstromc@launchmodem.com> wrote: > > > Erik Funkenbusch pulled this Usenet boner: > >> On Mon, 25 Jan 2010 10:02:39 -0500, Ezekiel wrote: >> >>> <quote> >>> Life after Windows: What happens to tech if Microsoft dies >>> By Randall C. Kennedy >>> January 25, 2010 06:06 AM ET >>> >>> InfoWorld - It's the thought experiment we all like to engage in. What would >>> life be like without Microsoft Windows? To listen to the free open source >>> software crowd, the demise of Windows -- and by extension, Microsoft's >>> hegemony over the PC universe -- would signal a kind of rebirth for >>> information technology. Software would finally be free of the corporate >>> shackles that have stifled innovation and dragged down the best and >>> brightest among us. >>> </quote> >>> >>> http://www.computerworld.com/s/article/9147878/Life_after_Windows_What_happens_to_tech_if_Microsoft_dies >> >> That is a pretty bizarre article. > > Yeah, I stopped reading partway through the first page. Predicting an > apocalyptic free-for-all? > > I noticed "JEDIDIAH" posted a comment there. > I always found the whole "Microsoft-uber-alles" nonsense to be terribly annoying. The whole point of WinDOS was the fact that "everything" is available for it. Once the herd starts demanding that you use the current flavor of the month in anything, that benefit rapidly evaporates. The best stuff is usually not advocated. Crap from the monopoly vendor or at best some other ancient market dominator is pushed to the exclusion of all else. -- If some college kid can replicate your "invention" without seeing ||| any of the details of your patent then you have been granted a patent / | \ on the "idea" and not the actual implementation.

If Microsoft "died", hopefully in some manner that provides restitution to all its victims, I'd do ... nothing. A short celebration perhaps, more like a sigh of relief, much as one might when any other large-scale criminal enterprise is extinguished. But after that brief blip, my life would continue without Microsoft, just as it has for years. Business as usual, but better. As for the author's hysterical and narcissistic hyperbole ... well I think "hysterical and narcissistic hyperbole" pretty much covers it. -- K. http://slated.org ..---- | "Proprietary licenses, the crack cocaine of software finance." | - Matt Asay, CNET `---- Fedora release 8 (Werewolf) on sky, running kernel 2.6.31.5 19:41:57 up 78 days, 6:03, 5 users, load average: 0.14, 0.16, 0.12

Verily I say unto thee, that Chris Ahlstrom spake thusly: > ... can I have your computer? Make sure he wipes all the viruses off first. -- K. http://slated.org ..---- | "Proprietary licenses, the crack cocaine of software finance." | - Matt Asay, CNET `---- Fedora release 8 (Werewolf) on sky, running kernel 2.6.31.5 19:47:08 up 78 days, 6:09, 5 users, load average: 0.07, 0.10, 0.09

On Mon, 25 Jan 2010 10:02:39 -0500, Ezekiel wrote: > <quote> > Life after Windows: What happens to tech if Microsoft dies By Randall C. > Kennedy > January 25, 2010 06:06 AM ET > > InfoWorld - It's the thought experiment we all like to engage in. What > would life be like without Microsoft Windows? To listen to the free open > source software crowd, the demise of Windows -- and by extension, > Microsoft's hegemony over the PC universe -- would signal a kind of > rebirth for information technology. Software would finally be free of > the corporate shackles that have stifled innovation and dragged down the > best and brightest among us. > </quote> > > http://www.computerworld.com/s/article/9147878/ Life_after_Windows_What_happens_to_tech_if_Microsoft_dies Opinions are like ***holes. Everyone has one. -- RonB Registered Linux User #498581 CentOS 5.4 or Vector Linux Deluxe 6.0

RonB stated in post hjktuq$4jr$1@news.eternal-september.org on 1/25/10 1:12 PM: > On Mon, 25 Jan 2010 10:02:39 -0500, Ezekiel wrote: > >> <quote> >> Life after Windows: What happens to tech if Microsoft dies By Randall C. >> Kennedy >> January 25, 2010 06:06 AM ET >> >> InfoWorld - It's the thought experiment we all like to engage in. What >> would life be like without Microsoft Windows? To listen to the free open >> source software crowd, the demise of Windows -- and by extension, >> Microsoft's hegemony over the PC universe -- would signal a kind of >> rebirth for information technology. Software would finally be free of >> the corporate shackles that have stifled innovation and dragged down the >> best and brightest among us. >> </quote> >> >> http://www.computerworld.com/s/article/9147878/ > Life_after_Windows_What_happens_to_tech_if_Microsoft_dies > > Opinions are like ***holes. Everyone has one. Which is one of the reasons evidence based science is important... but you think only "cranks" care about that. -- [INSERT .SIG HERE]

On Jan 25, 7:02=A0am, "Ezekiel" <not-z...@the-zeke.com> wrote: > <quote> > Life after Windows: What happens to tech if Microsoft dies > By Randall C. Kennedy > January 25, 2010 06:06 AM ET > http://www.computerworld.com/s/article/9147878/Life_after_Windows_What_ha= ppens_to_tech_if_Microsoft_dies Here's the comment I posted. We'll see if Computerworld ever publishes it: Open Source software, in particular GNU/Linux and the application programs that run on it, are already being used instead of Microsoft Windows by tens of millions of people all over the world. See for example the article on Linux Adoption in Wikipedia. The governments of many nations have officially adopted Linux and Open Source and are phasing out the use of Microsoft products. There are standards developed by international organizations that insure intercommunication of data, such as the HTML standard for the World Wide Web, and the Open Document Format for office word-processor documents, spreadsheets, presentations, etc., implemented by the free OpenOffice.org office program suite. The POSIX standard enables interoperability of software and operating systems, and source code compatibility. See Wikipedia on HTML, Open Document, and POSIX. Microsoft has often violated such standards, creating, e.g., incompatible websites and office documents with its software, in order to force users to buy only Microsoft products in order to maintain access to their data. This is called "vendor lock-in". Internally, Microsoft uses the phrase "Embrace, extend and extinguish" (see the Wikipedia article on that topic) to describe its strategy for destroying international software standards. But it is now being forced to comply by court decisions and competition. Why haven't more people heard of Linux/Open-Source, and adopted it? Why does this major article in Computerworld not mention it even once? Because Microsoft uses coercive business tactics to prevent people from even learning about Linux. Microsoft threatens to remove its advertising from publications that run articles on Linux. It forbids computer manufacturers from loading any other operating system on computers along with Windows. Microsoft financed the SCO corporation with 100 million dollars to prosecute bogus lawsuits for years against Linux vendors and customers based on entirely false claims that Linux software contained code belonging to SCO. Linux/Open-Source is more stable and reliable than MS-Windows because it's based on the Unix operating system that was developed by Bell Labs and used in universities beginning in the early 1970s. As a multiuser system, Unix had security built into it from the start, while MS-DOS and MS-Windows were designed to execute any program that came in on an e-mail or word-processor document, leaving them open to attack by more than a million different computer viruses. Linux systems don't need any anti-virus software. All software has occasional vulnerabilities due to programming errors. Microsoft sends out Service Packs to correct these about once a year, and they deal only with errors in Microsoft products, not the other application programs that run under Windows. The major Linux vendors send out updates to correct vulnerabilities within a few days of their discovery, and they cover both the operating system and all the application software. These updates are either installed automatically, or are indicated to the user by a little red flag on the screen, so they can be installed with a few mouse clicks. With all these advantages, is Linux/Open-Source software expensive? Actually, you can get it all for free! Just download it via the Web, where it's provided by the Linux vendors. They'll sell you a service contract if you want it for your business -- that's how they make their money. But you can get free help via Usenet, Web forums, mailing lists, chat rooms, etc. And the folks in your local Linux User Group will even be happy to arrange for you to bring in your computer so they can install the software on it for free! As to cloud computing, I would not trust my precious personal or business data to the computers of some corporation. Today's personal computers have as much power, and a lot more disk space, than the supercomputers of decades past. A $600 PC today can easily do 20 billion instructions per second, whereas a DEC VAX-11/780 minicomputer, which was often used to serve an entire university in the 1980's, could only do 500 thousand per second, at 100 times the price. A 1000 gigabyte disk drive now costs only $70. Individuals and businesses who value the privacy and security of their data, and their freedom to choose the software they want, will use and control these marvelously powerful and inexpensive machines themselves.

Homer pulled this Usenet boner: > Verily I say unto thee, that Chris Ahlstrom spake thusly: >> ... can I have your computer? > > Make sure he wipes all the viruses off first. Not to worry. I would wipe the whole damn thing and replace it with a nice fresh filesystem. -- I will honour Christmas in my heart, and try to keep it all the year. I will live in the Past, the Present, and the Future. The Spirits of all Three shall strive within me. I will not shut out the lessons that they teach. Oh, tell me that I may sponge away the writing on this stone! -- Charles Dickens

Verily I say unto thee, that Chris Ahlstrom spake thusly: > Homer pulled this Usenet boner: >> Verily I say unto thee, that Chris Ahlstrom spake thusly: >>> ... can I have your computer? >> >> Make sure he wipes all the viruses off first. > > Not to worry. I would wipe the whole damn thing and replace it with > a nice fresh filesystem. Actually I was referring to the keyboard. -- K. http://slated.org ..---- | "Proprietary licenses, the crack cocaine of software finance." | - Matt Asay, CNET `---- Fedora release 8 (Werewolf) on sky, running kernel 2.6.31.5 22:33:06 up 78 days, 8:55, 5 users, load average: 0.05, 0.11, 0.08

On 2010-01-25, Homer <usenet@slated.org> wrote: > Verily I say unto thee, that Chris Ahlstrom spake thusly: >> Homer pulled this Usenet boner: >>> Verily I say unto thee, that Chris Ahlstrom spake thusly: >>>> ... can I have your computer? >>> >>> Make sure he wipes all the viruses off first. >> >> Not to worry. I would wipe the whole damn thing and replace it with >> a nice fresh filesystem. > > Actually I was referring to the keyboard. LOL -- Regards, Gregory. Gentoo Linux - Penguin Power