Why should we become Microsoft-free
There are so many reasons to boycott Microsoft that it would not be practical to discuss the reasons with our limited space. Here are just some of the major reasons.
Microsoft’s unfair business practices are legendary. Microsoft has become the 5th largest company in the US. It has done so by the use of subterfuge and coercion and not by any superiority of their products.
In the last few years Microsoft has added political campaign contributions (i.e., legalized bribery) to their modus operandi. According to http://www.boycottbush.net/ Microsoft is the 3rd largest contributor to the Republican party. (For reference even the defunct Enron corporation was only at number 6. )
Microsoft products are of notoriously poor quality. The security issues, viruses, poor stability and other performance issues with their products are so well known that there is really no need to elaborate upon them here.
How can we become Microsoft Free.
So you wish to create a Microsoft free lifestyle. - Sorry, but it is not going to happen. As with the US government, Microsoft is going to get their tithe regardless of what you do. However, it is possible to greatly reduce the amount of money that you give to this company. Here are some suggestions:
TV watching habits - Obviously you wish to stay away from MSNBC. We have seen throughout the Iraq war that MSNBC really is no different from Fox, CNN or the other mainstream media outlets. You will not be loosing anything by boycotting their programming.
Games - There are many approaches to electronic gaming. Electronic gaming aficionados consider a well configured computer to be the ultimate experience. But we must remember that this is also the most expensive approach. It is no surprise the the most popular approach is the stand-alone game box.
Here is the corporate situation behind the stand-alone game systems. The X-box is Microsoft’s presence in the gaming world: obviously you do not buy the X-box. The Sony playstation is one very popular alternative. However, we must remember that Sony too has been engaged in manipulation of the political process for their own corporate gain. You probably wish to add Sony to your boycott list. The Nintendo game-cube seems to be the most desirable platform from the standpoint of our present political situation.
Cell phones - Microsoft has also extended its tentacles in the cell phone business. MSN-Mobile is the most visible extension. Whenever you sign up for a cell phone, check into some of the services that come with it. You may be inadvertently signing on to a Microsoft service.
Computers - The area of personal computing is the area that is most identifiable with Microsoft. There are two areas that need to be looked at when weaning oneself away from this corportaion. The basic platform is one area and the programs and services that you use are the other.
The term "platform" implies a combination of the operating system and the hardware that runs it. There is no one “best “ way to reduce Microsoft's presence in your personal computing. For most people, the options are to go with a Macintosh from Apple, or to strip their Windows from the present computer and install Linux. Here is a brief rundown of the pros and cons for each approach.
Apple / Macintosh - The Apple Macintosh is one of the first things to come to mind when one is thinking of switching from Microsoft. Here are the advantages and disadvantages.
The Macintosh is one of the worlds easiest computers to use. The interface is intuitive, the software is reliable, installation of software is generally effortless, and the stability is amazing. An OSX Macintosh can run seven days a week. I generally reboot only about once a month. I have not had a kernel panic (system crash) in two years. There is a lot of software for the Mac and almost all of the software is top name.
There is really only one disadvantage, and that is cost. The Macintosh may be the Rolls Royce of personal computers, but it comes with a price tag to match. Still at the time of writing, one can get into the Macintosh with an entry level machine that starts at about $1000 dollars.
Linux - Not everybody is ready to rush out and lay down a load of cash for a new computer. If you already have a computer and wish to simply remove the Microsoft software, you may find tha Linux is your best choice. Linux is the “new kid on the block.” Only recently has it become a viable environment for the average person. Let us look at the pros and cons.
There are a number of advantages for Linux. The main advantage is that it is cheap. How cheap is it? Well if you already have a PC you can set up a Linux operating system and get usable software for free. Things do not get any cheaper than that. It is also very stable. A well configure Linux machine just does not crash. I have been running a Linux server in my home seven days a week since last September. The only time that it has ever been rebooted is when I perform routine upgrades to the operating system. It is also much more secure. Although security holes do occasionally pop up, the patches are usually available within hours. Furthermore, there are far fewer people out there trying to hack Linux machines. One other advantage of Linux is that there is a lot of software out there.
However Linux is not without disadvantages. The biggest disadvantage of Linux is that it is very difficult to set up. If you are novice to computers, you will not want to attempt to do this by yourself: get someone to help you. Even installing software can be difficult.
I should point out that every Wednesday the Houston Linux Users Group, has workshops to assist people in setting up there machine. Check out the website at www.hlug.org/. If you live in the Houston area you may wish to check into them.
Application Programs and Network Services - Even if you are using a non-Windows platform you may still inadvertently be using Microsoft software or network services. Obvious examples are MS Word, and Internet Explorer. Less obvious are programs such as Powerpoint, Outlook, and other programs. Microsoft has even taken over Network services. MSN and Hotmail are obvious examples. www.yahoo.com/ presents some attractive alternatives.
Conclusion
Boycotting Microsoft is not really as hard as one might expect. Most boycotts involve some sort of compromise. For instance if you are boycotting Walmart (which you really should be) then you will find that you often have to drive a little further or spend a little more money. The fortunate thing about boycotting Microsoft is that in many cases it will save you money and it will almost always make things much better. (It is nice having a machine that does not crash four times a day.) Therefore even if you were not politically active, avoiding Microsoft is something that you really should be considering.
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