Massachusetts set to switch off Microsoft

[HPC GUY]

fuck it i live in an apartment, above some people

[MarathoN]

That's logical.

[DavidB]

now all hilarity will ensue when the state of washington does this.

I wish. Unfortunately, Bill Gates owns Washington. Seattle easily ranks with Washington, D.C. and Houston, Texas as one of America's most corrupt cities, and it rules Washington State with an iron fist. So any attempts to switch over to open source would probably result in bloodshed.

Besides, the people in Washington State are really, really, almost unbelievably stupid. How stupid? When Pat Robertson (the Christian loon who recently said Venezuelan President Hugo Chavez should be assassinated) ran for President, he carried just one state - Washington. And Western Washington's liberals are just as stupid.

[Kintaro]

I see your point DavidB but I think the term, bloodshed, is a little over the top.

[DavidB]

I see your point DavidB but I think the term, bloodshed, is a little over the top.

They usually prefer to destroy people economically, legally or psychologically - all of which can be as bad as bloodshed. So "bloodshed" is hardly over the top, figuratively speaking or not.

[MarathoN]

Actually, if you shoot someone, you can hurt them psychologically, if they survive, that is.

[Kintaro]

I guess you have a point. I think however the threat of Microosft is a little exaggerated, competition is working, slowly, but working.

[DavidB]

I guess you have a point. I think however the threat of Microosft is a little exaggerated, competition is working, slowly, but working.

Too little, too late as far as I'm concerned. Too limited, too. Will the Linux community hold Bill Gates accountable for his shameful exploitation of public education or his real estate crimes? Frankly, the geek community is out to lunch.

Microsoft is about far more than software.

[Kintaro]

Well unfortunatly, nothing can really be done other than that, and it isn't too late yet. Microsoft has done some terrible things, however that is in the past and it is the future that needs to be worried about.

[DavidB]

Well unfortunatly, nothing can really be done other than that, and it isn't too late yet. Microsoft has done some terrible things, however that is in the past and it is the future that needs to be worried about.

Uh, no - Microsoft's crimes are hardly in the past; they're ongoing. And we won'thave much of a future if society doesn't learn the importance of holding people accountable for their actions. Murderers, rapists and burglars go to jail, so why shouldn't Bill Gates be hauled to the carpet, too?

That's why I began speaking out against Microsoft, because the geek community is so out to lunch. They really don't have a clue about anything outside their operating systems.

[Kintaro]

He has been hauled to the carpet. There have been trails against Microsoft and things have been done to help flush the monopoly, that also, is ongoing.

[hm_murdock]

It takes an awful lot to change public opinion, and for the last ten years, the public's opinion has been MIA. The problem is that they have no opinion, they just "know" what they're told. Unfortunate problem is they're told things by morons. Where did these morons get their info? They got it from "business". And ya know, for some reason, business finds it in their best interest to  spend a shitton of money on shitty software every year.

Spending too much money + Relearning software every year = Good
Spending no money + Relearning once = Bad

But then, check out this equation that someone managed to shove down their throats...

Spend $75,000 + $20,000 support contract + $45,000 lost due to software failures = Low "Total Cost Of Ownership"
Spend $0 + $0 support contract + $5,000 lost due to software failures = High "Total Cost Of Ownership"

I'm sorry. I can't see it. They can, though. It makes perfect sense to their middle-management brains, and that's what you have to combat. I don't see how you can, though. Best you can do is try for one person at a time. There's no way that you can change the opinion of 200 million sheep, aside from one at a time.

[Aloone_Jonez]

We still use MS Office 97 at work, but I suppose we'll be forced to upgrade sooner or later.

This is very good news, but I wonder why they chose OO over Star Office, is it because they don't require the support?

Why do companies use Star Office anyway? Is it just for the support or are they other advantages too, like extra features maybe?

[DavidB]

He has been hauled to the carpet. There have been trails against Microsoft and things have been done to help flush the monopoly, that also, is ongoing.

Oh, please - Bill Gates has never been hauled to the carpet. He's a received a series of slaps on the wrists. Typical punishment consists of forcing Microsoft to give consumers vouchers for discounts on software made by - guess who? - Microsoft. What a farce.

[MarathoN]

I found this freaky site a few days ago.

http://exodus2006.com/3code.htm