2003 in Review: Beginning of End for M$

[Xeen]

This past year in my opinion has been a huge step forward towards the end of Microsoft. I just thought I'd briefly recap the events of this year to show once again what a dumb, corrupt, annoying, dangerous, illegal, stubborn piece of shit Micro$haft is:

Legal / Miscellaneous embarassments to Microsoft:
   - Steve Ballmer sells 1.2 billion in M$ Stocks
   - Bill Gates shows up at White House with no ID and needs to be searched
   - Microsoft admits WMP spies and reports on your music and video usage
   - MS department in London discovered to be using Linux for internet services
   - One day after $90 million contract signed between MS & Homeland Security, biggest bug ever found
   - Two weeks later another one affecting Windows 2003 - Which Homeland Security uses
   - Microsoft says that 75% of WinXP installations crash unless installed by an "authorized installer"
   - Microsoft hires group to study open source software
   - Swedish Microsoft branch uses a Mac in its commercial
   - Windows worm knocks out service 911 emergeny telephone service in Bellevue
   - Worm disabled several Windows powered ATM machines
   - Microsoft called "Threat to national security" in 2 reports
   - Microsoft announced a Big-Brother system for MSN chat rooms
   - Microsoft virus damages train signals in Florida
   - Microsoft employee fired for posting photo on his site of a G5 being delivered to a MS print shop
   - Employee of a MS-partnered tech firm fired for participating in report explaining why MS sucks
   - Microsoft's Linux bashing backfires - people see that Linux must be better
   - Microsoft Urges Users Not to Use Windows on the Internet
   - Microsoft sued over code used in their web movie technology
   - MSN software labels Lindows emails as spam
   - Microsoft decides to use Linux to protect its servers
   - IE security bugs allow hackers to steal source code for Half-Life 2 video game
   - 3 issues of backwards incompatibility found in new Office 2003
   - After years of denying being a competitor, MS makes a Linux survey to see what people like about it
   - Microsoft forgot to renew hotmail.co.uk domain for England, despite several warnings ahead of time
   - MS announces plans for creating BIOS code for PCs; Billy Gates claims he knows nothing about it
   - Microsoft wins trademark lawsuit against Lindows in Europe
      - One week later is sued by Mythic Entertainment on same exact charges

Microsoft fined:
   - $1,000,000,000 total to several universities for stealing code
   - $521,000,000 to Eolas Techonologies company for patent infringement
   - $23,000,000 to Be, Inc
   - $75,000,000 to AOL Time Warner
   - $62,000,000 for stealing code used in Netmeeting
   - $967,000 to Massachusetts in antitrust settlements
   - unknown sum to InterTrust for DRM patent infringement

Governments who tell Microsoft to fuck away:
   - Munich, Germany
   - Berlin, Germany
   - Vienna, Austria
   - India
   - China
   - Japan
   - South Korea
   - Vietnam
   - Brazil
   - Thailand
   - Austin, Texas, USA
   - The US Army
   - England
   - Israel

Business losses for Microsoft:
   - Guitar company owner throws out M$ and says he couldn't be happier
   - Lycoris creates Linux OS for Tablet PC (previously only supported Windows)
   - HP announces they will sell pre-installed Linux computers
   - British Health Services dumps Microsoft
   - European SAP cuts on deals with Microsoft
   - Ford moves to Linux
   - Verisign moves to Linux

Anti-trust matters:
   - European Union begins major investigation of Microsoft Windows Media Player monopoly
   - RealNetworks joins lawsuits against Windows Media Player monopoly.

Security Issues
   - 2 security breaches discovered in M$ Passport
      - EU Sues M$ once again
      - Gartner Group advices businesses not to use Passport
   - Time it takes to crack Windows passwords reduced to 13.6 seconds from 1 min 40 sec
   - 19 Internet Explorer security bugs discovered (most remain unpatched)
   - 1 patch released to fix IE bug creates a new hole in the browser!
   - 2 patches released to fix IE bugs don't fix problem, just create more bloat
   - 13 security bugs discovered in misc Windows services (RPC, Workstation, etc)
   - 2 security bugs in DirectX discovered
   - 1 security bug in Windows Update discovered
   - 1 Major Vulnerability Found In Windows Messenger
   - Major flaw found in MS Exchange, allowing users to access other users' accounts
   - 2 security flaws found in Microsoft Frontpage Server Extensions Web Publishing tool
   - Security bug found in Microsoft's digital certificates system
   - 3 security issues found in the new MS Office

Viruses/Worms
   - MSBlaster.a
   - MSBlaster.b
   - MSBlaster.c
   - Welchia
   - Sobig.a
   - Sobig.b
   - Sobig.c
   - Sobig.d
   - Sobig.e
   - Sobig.f
   - Code-Red
   - Quaters
   - QHosts
   - Sober.a
   - Sober.b
   - Sober.c
   - Slammer (the one that knocked out 911 service)
   - Yaha-Y
   - Jitux
   - Nachi (the one that infected ATM machines)
   - Too many more to count, but the above were the biggest

And the award for funniest/saddest Microsoft event of the year goes to:
3rd Place: Microsoft announces plans for Antivirus software
2nd Place: Microsoft has nerve to accuse Sun of "unfair competition"
First Place:
   The decade old "If Microsoft Made Cars..." joke becomes true.
   Microsoft announces plans to "have the Windows OS in every car on Earth"
   Reports arise of problems with the BMW 7 Series car which runs the Windows for Cars OS:
      - CD player got fucked up
      - Engine died
      - Car died on side of the road
   Great job, Bill!

[ December 31, 2003: Message edited by: xeen ]

[Laukev7]

quote: Am I missing anything?

Yes. The most essential thing.

The release of the G5.

[suselinux]

quote:Originally posted by Laukev7: Defender of Canada:


Yes. The most essential thing.

The release of the G5.

The most essential thing

IBM abucts a nine year old kid and bombards him with crazy celebreties, spewing dribble about social development and community, and they actually named the poor kid "LINUX"

[solarismka]

two things I think.

1 is, M$ 'friendly' virous shuts down Air Canada and Toronto Pirson Airport.

what was the other one?

Ah yes:

2. The worm MSBlaster shuts down ATMS across the country.  Admins arn't able to keep up.

I think thats it.....

   :confused:  

Thats quite alot though! Thanks for the summary xeen!          :cool:  

Oh I forgot one!  U.S. blackout caused by M$

[ September 08, 2003: Message edited by: -=Solaris.M.K.A=- ]

[Fett101]

quote:Originally posted by suselinux:
and they actually named the poor kid "LINUX"

Just imagine the taunting at school    

Loony Lunix, Loony Lunix, Loony Lunix!

[Doctor V]

delaying the release of their new office suite...not so big but its something

V

[mc0282]

hey xeen, almost end of 2004 do the samething to see which year microshit had fucked up the most..


EDIT: Sorry, edited wrong post. Nothing's been changed, don't worry.

[ December 28, 2003: Message edited by: xeen ]

[Stilly]

but still, what doesn't kill you makes you stronger...

[BrentnNC]

I agree this summer was a bad one for microsoft.I have given up on windows and promised myself i will never use it again. Linux is 10 times better.  

[raptor]

yes.

now read this article: http://news.com.com/2100-1002-5074415.html?tag=nl

steps closer to microsofts doom: http://news.com.com/2009-1012_3-5074441.html?tag=fd_top

[raptor]

summer days in the us arent over yet!    

[ September 11, 2003: Message edited by: raptor ]

[Xeen]

Well, another 4 months have past by since I posted this in september, and dozens more MS fuckups have taken place. I've edited the original post as a review of Microsoft failures in 2003. It's been a hell of a year and is sure to have started the beginning of the end for Microsoft.

[Kintaro]

Its been the beginning of the end for MS for 12 years now.

Can it just hurry the fuck up.

[hm_murdock]

mweh

[GhostCow]

Great thread, I copied it and posted a link to the original in a few other forums