[PLUG-TALK] What Windows Is _Really_ Like

[Rich Shepard]

On Fri, 2 Jun 2006, Keith Lofstrom wrote:

> The troubles of those we deem enemies can bring a smile - until we question
> their role as enemies. Imagine a world without Windows, and all those users
> on Linux. Imagine a PLUG general meeting with 500 clueless users, mostly
> asking non-sequitur questions.

Keith,

   I cannot imagine Windows disappearing completely. It will be the OS of
choice for the clueless masses you reference. Unless, that is, Apple pulls
them out of their Windows. Even in the worse scenario I could not envision
many of them attending a PLUG meeting ... more than once.

   Long ago and far away ... in the mid- to late-1980s, I attended a few PC
User Group meetings both in Florida and Portland. Yuck! Fortunately, in both
locations there were groups of so-called "power users" which were much more
useful and satisfying.

> Alternately, imagine Microsoft giving up on Windows, ...

   Giving up and sinking, yes. Otherwise, nah!

> I don't worry (much) about Microsoft persisting and irritating us F/OSS
> types; they have a role to play that we are not ready to assume. I want
> them to keep running until we are ready to dominate them. Sorta like the
> Iraq invasion in a way; we can equate Bill Gates to Saddam, but do we have
> the means to replace him and his cronies, and do we want his unruly
> subjects for our own?

   Clippy and Bob for the masses!

> If all the Windows machines in the world stopped working tomorrow, we would
> be in a world of hurt, because the digusting truth is that most of our
> economy depends on Windows PCs.

   Yeah, you're right. They take turns stopping work instead of all going out
at once. However, I believe a large part of that problem are the people
responsible for the feeding and grooming of those machines, too, and not just
the inherent insecurity and impenetrable bubble gum, baling wire, and duct
tape that holds the whole thing together.

> And it strengthens my resolve to develop Linux into a universally capable
> alternative, because someday, when those Windows vulnerabilities are
> exploited at a military-attack level, I want the Linux community to be
> ready to rapidly replace ALL of Windows in ALL critical applications.

   Go, Keith! How about first replacing the NT systems on guided missile
cruisers? Well, maybe they're rebooting XP once per watch now.

> That is a lot of work, and I hope we are up to it.

   Whadda' ya' mean "we"? :-)

Rich

-- 
Richard B. Shepard, Ph.D.             |  The Environmental Permitting
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