Microsoft and the Open Source Movement

I read an article on the threat of dominance of Microsoft and the implications it would have for the Open Source movement. It is clear that Microsoft is feeling jittery about Linux eating into its market share. The article appears on PC Mag. The threat to dominance has many facets here. One for sure. Microsoft is running out of ideas to shore up its revenues. Like all business enterprises, it has full right to earn. However, what I am against is the pretence it makes in the name of Corporate Ethics. This is what gets me.

I had mentioned earlier and do it again. Microsoft and its cohort Intel have sold and resold technologies, which have no relevance to majority of average users. If it is for Gaming community, I have no reservations. With the increasing complexity of games, higher and faster processors are a must. However, for an average user, who at best surfs on-line and uses the Office suite, how much GHz is needed anyway? This is what I fail to understand.

Windows XP when launched, was with all the eye candy turned on which was a major drain on the system resources. Then came the all-famous Service packs with which it is still vulnerable. The regular updates being issued inspire no confidence and trust in the product. The onus is on the monopolistic corporation to provide stable and secure systems. Especially for something that people have been forced to either upgrade or buy as proprietary software.

Increasing piracy has forced Microsoft to launch its advertisements in the local dailies. At least in India, they have set up a toll free number (what else!) and roped in vendors (assemblers as they are called as here) and given some kind of an assurance that the software would be secure. It is noteworthy that the vendors are those who are best described as marginal players in the market. It would be more appropriate for them to get free advertising support even as they crow over the latest Intel chip set.

Here in comes the job of the Open Source Community. This is my small effort to salute those people who toil behind the scenes and create an excellent operating system. Clearly programming is not in my domain, and with the development of the graphical user interface and “friendlier” formats, Linux could be brought in the mainstream. I give my own example. I am totally a non-technical person. It was just a matter of popping in the CD and using the Operating System for good. It is that simple.

I would also call the bluff of those people who claim the Bill Gates donates a huge amount to charities. Good for him. However, the vast sums of money that are poured in, is mainly for the media posturing. Given the need not to antagonize the powerful barons, media has become the handmaiden of these well paid public relation officers. This is why I am deeply circumspect of the money given to charities.

There have been many instances wherein the charities exist as a credible front for money laundering or saving on the taxes. Why does Media have to swoon over the rich people? If they didn’t give them as much as importance as they are being given now and instead concentrated on the real issues, perhaps the things could have been much better.

It is not that piracy alone has been hurting Microsoft. Over its own corporate history, it has been eating up the rivals. Open Source remains one model of software delivery and development. Agreed. However, it has to be seen in this regard that these people are sticking out their necks and doing something better. Giving me a peace of mind that my investment in an excellent product is practically nil. Regular security updates and massive community that makes you a part of its own is more than satisfying. I am not conversant with the nitty gritty of the command line interface. What is the problem here? All I have to do is read the well-written documentation, written for persons of below average intelligence, or post it in the excellent forums on-line. There would be someone or the other who is glad to help you out. The same could be for Microsoft who probably outsources its tech support or charges you a premium for support. Is that justified?

There are lots of ifs and buts. It is high time people opened up to better and credible alternatives. The success of Firefox can be attributed to the efforts of the Open Source community. However, my own frustrated efforts using Internet Explorer showed me the wonderful world of Opera. The benefits of using Opera are too numerous to be recounted but I owe my sanity to those guys who made Internet surfing a breeze. Here’s hoping for better things to come.

This post was submitted by Dr. Abhishek Puri on Techwhack. Dr. Abhishek is a recent convert to Linux and is loving the Open Source Operating System along with his favorite Opera Browser.