I think painting Microsoft and a company out for "World Domination" will
only make you look like a nut. While us geeks make get a smile and a
laugh over pictures of Hitler redone with Bill Gate's face, the average
commuter will probably tune you out as just another extremist on a
soapbox. You have to get people to understand how Microsoft's control
over their computer will affect their bottom line and their quality of
life. (Particularly quality of life as people understand that their
bottom line will normally take a hit to guarantee them comforts.)
Discuss the ideas of having software that you only buy once and then are
generally freely upgraded for life. (Telling them it's free to get in
the first place may trip the too good to be true off switch in their
minds. And Linux requires time to either install or order pre-installed.)
Perhaps talk about Microsoft's need to have their computers phone home
when a person is surfing the Internet and checking their honesty and
integrity.
Talk about Microsoft's recent problems with spammers using Windows to
send out porn and leaving the unsuspecting computer owner (don't use the
word "user") taking the blame for sending it.
Talk about Microsoft's plan to have people renting their operating
system, so even after they spend several hundred, if not thousands of
dollars buying a computer, they still won't be able use it to do
anything without paying Microsoft rent. [Rent vs the appearance of
ownership (the current perpetual licensing scheme) usually raises
hackles of people. Most people would rather own something than rent it.]
I'm sure others on this list can give you some good alternatives to
coming on and talking about Microsoft's mission of world domination.
Vaughn Treude wrote:
>Hello everybody:
>
>Just letting you know that I talked Ernest Hancock into having me on his
>radio show this coming Friday, July 18th. It's on KXAM 1310 AM from 7 to 9
>in the A.M. I'll be talking about Linux vs. Microsoft and the latter's quest
>for world dominance. The other guest will be Stu Krone, a computer security
>expert who will be examining the issue of vote fraud on computerized polling
>systems. If you're up that early, I invite you to listen.
>
>Vaughn Treude
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