Time for everyone to leave now..... 3287

No, Larry is looking at the surface and thinks he sees the bottom of the pool. Instead Larry is seeing the surface and doesn't realize it.

Nice dream.

1. I'm not scared. Windross will sink (most likely) or swim (perhaps temporarily, but most unlikely to last much longer) on its own merits. To date, it has no merits.

2. If it continues, I lose nothing. Linux will continue for a variety of reasons. But it will continue.That'sreally all that matters to me.

3. If linux is going to continue, it's also going to improve. I take back part of what I wrote in 2. It matters to me that linux continues. Equally, it matters that it improves. It will.

4. Numbers 2 and 3 will happen whether MICROS~1 sinks or swims. So, it matters not to me if 1 comes true or not as far as my own use. It matters some in the case of $JOB, but not forever.

Let's play a pretend game (pretend because we all know it's not going to happen). Pretend that Hasta la VISTA (or a future version) was a complete rewrite, security given #1 priority, included everything that the average person uses and had a low price tag. Let's also pretend that this mythical Winders had no more insecurities than can be expected on any operating system that takes safety and security into account, that the malware level dropped to or near zero, came with some reasonable level of real support offered with the purchase (longer terms possible for a cost is OK), didn't limit connections to the servers, didn't deliberately cripple things to create a new version whose only purpose is to sell yet another line, and basically covered most or all of the other complaints that most have against Winders. Let's add to our fantasy that the company stops doing things to deliberately exclude things like dual-boots, OS alternatives, intentioanl steps designed to kill off compebreastors through illegal and-or unquestionable tactics and so on.

What would the damage be to linux?

None that I could name. Some people would go back. Others would not (partially because of fearing the trojan horse the monopolists put out there no doubt, while others, like me, just like linux more). Development would continue. Improvement would continue. More people might even work across platforms once the obstacles are minimized or removed. But linux would go on. I'd be happy, as many others would.

I'd actually be relieved somewhat. My one fear is a bunch of Windoze-using dolts jump the sinking M$ ship, bring their crappy ways of doing things with them and start making demands and-or whining. That part can be solved. But what can't be solved is the crowd that exists who think they need to find ways to accomodate every whine and whimper of the newlings. That's a problem asking to be created, and there're enough people who think that's how things should be that I fear their having an undesirable effect. Maybe their damage would be minimal. But we can't know that until we know that. We won't know that until it's either done or properly dispensed with.

So, your biases are of no importance. Any outcomes you may perceive in the opposite direction are only due to your own incorrect perceptions. At least where I'm concerned. And I suspect quite a few others are of similar feeling. (I don't pretend to speak for them. I just don't think the majority of linux users care whether M$ lives or dies. I might be wrong.)

For the record (as though it really needs saying), I *DO* dislike Winders, and I *DO* despise Microsoft. If Microsoft sold Winders to someone else, I'd *still* dislike Winders, and I'd *still* despise Microsoft. If the new owner repaired the damage to Winders, I might stop disliking it, but I still wouldn't want to use it. Either way Microsoft has earned the loathing that I have for them.

If you're describing your (intentional?) misperceptions, I'd have to agree. Elsewise your sadness is completely misplaced.

Some of the presence of anti-M$ fodder is inspired by the pro-M$ folk that come here and defend the indefensible (and in some cases they.... ahem....lie). Some more is added by the moronic trolls that come and beg for it. Take those away or reduce the amount of it and the level of anti-M$ noise will dwindle.

I'm not saying it would go away. It wouldn't. It's inspired in part by actual usage of the stuff. No ammount of deceit, tap-dancing, redefining of words or any other shennanigans of the defenders will change that.

But it's exaggerated by having to counter, time after time, the same old lies (present company included) and distortions (present company included) fostered by those trying to make phony "points" about the real and manufactured problems in linux, as well as claiming weaknesses as strengths in crappy M$ products.

-- Secup: Innovative Microsoft peer-to-peer software.