The Linux Snob

Stupid is as Stupid does

halburgiss — Sun, 25 Apr 2010 15:06:28 +0000

Ever notice how Microsoft is CONSTANTLY “innovating” by trying to muscle their way into markets developed by others? They seem to have this idea that not only should they dominate every arena because afterall, they are the “biggest and best”, but because its like a birth right or something. They are not content being incredibly successful in their given niche, but resent the fact that someone else might be successful in something that they had never given a second thought to, but now see as important.

Take search for example. This market has developed over many years by many players. Microsoft was not interested — until Google made it highly profitable. So in jumps Microsoft, with typically a half-assed approach. After years of failing miserably, they try to buy their way into the market. And then try to leverage their lobbying and other resources to throw up all kinds of roadblocks aimed squarely at Google. This is paying scant dividends.

Why? Because they cannot compete on a level playing field. They do best where there is no competition, or the competition is so hamstrung as to be ineffectual. Its an uphill battle wherever they can’t squash the competition by hook or by crook. Competitiveness is not a strong suit, or even in Bill Gate’s old playbook. Its not how the game is played (at least in their playbook), and not what got them where they are now.

The Linux Snob says: “Come on guys, let the people who have defined the market, and do it best, just do it. You stay with what you do best: dominate in a protected monopoly with mostly mediocre products.”

167 Reasons No One Should Trust Microsoft

halburgiss — Sun, 07 Mar 2010 23:25:20 +0000

This is the first in a 167 part series, on the unreliability, untrustworthiness, and occasional outright lies and dishonesty from the big guy, Microsoft.

I know these guys are an easy target, but I just can’t help myself.

OK, its a little tough to pick a starting point in this pile of rubbish, but what about security, and specifically the whole thing with viruses? This is a huge part of the Window’s world. Every window user is at risk constantly, and pays the piper in one way or another.

So this has been a problem since when? Windows 3.1 in the early ’90′s? Or earlier? Fey, its a good 15 years no matter how you slice it.

And when did Microsoft release any kind of product to fight this plague? 2009 you say? Correcto mundo, sherlock. That’s quite a response. Or lack of one. In that time, how many Window’s systems were laid bare? How many corporate networks infiltrated? How many billions of dollars spent fighting this stuff? A bunch, no matter how you slice that one.

I wonder how long it would take Apple to produce a product should they ever find themselves in a similar situation? A month, maybe? With the next release? Probably not long. Certainly not fifteen years.

Not that they have the best track record for responding to exploits, but they are a damn site better than Microsoft. And they have a lot more respect for their paying customers than you-know-who too. Microsoft has winked at the problem since day one.

Meanwhile an entire industry has sprouted up in response to this crap. And where was Microsoft all this time? Watching? Why does it take them so long? Is there some kind of quid pro quo going on? Is Microsoft profiting from producing faulty products? Are there kick backs going on? I mean, WTF. How do you make sense out of this crap? The Linux Snob says “you can’t!”.

Well, you can’t.

@linuxsnob

Computing for Dummies

halburgiss — Sun, 07 Mar 2010 23:00:55 +0000

Here’s a heads up guys and gals … a great site for anyone who doesn’t know anything, or doesn’t want to: microsoft.com. The information is a little hard to find, but its all there in black and white. The idiot’s guide to pretty much everything.

The really good part for the rest of us, is they will be so busy trying to figure where everything is, how everything works, fighting viruses (or viral afterbirth), rebooting, and so on, they won’t be bothering us too much. Or just refer them to that site for dummies: microsoft.com .

Just play dumb, when they start reporting odd problems that make no sense whatsoever. Or refer them to that dummy site: microsoft.com .

Next week, the Linux Snob will take a look at “System Administration for Dummies”. No fair guessing what site we shove these guys to!

@linuxsnob

Microsoft Phone Toadies

halburgiss — Sat, 20 Feb 2010 14:59:25 +0000

Wow, the “new” Windows mobile 7 phone announced recently by Microsoft is really bringing out swarms of Microsoft shills and toadies. These people are tripping over each other to pile accolades on something that not only does not exist yet in the real world, but will not exist until the “holidays”. Notice no firm date, just a season. Assuming MS can stay on a production schedule (big assumption), this might be December, which is 10 months in the future. That is almost a year from now! Yow!

So let’s face facts, this device does not exist. What we have are previews and mock ups. Not a real, working, usable phone. And the shills are out there trying to create buzz over what amounts to mock ups. GMAFB, please!

What’s obvious is these features that everyone is hot and bothered over are not implemented yet. Which means there might be some nice ideas in all this, but there is no way to tell how well any of this works. Excuse me, how well any of this will work. Perhaps they might require the mobile version of a 3 finger salute from time to time. Or other Microsoft-isms. What about viruses? Another Microsoft-ism. Will owners of such devices have to buy secondary products to maintain a modicum of sanity and security, or will we be able to depend on Microsoft for this?

There is a long of history within Microsoft of this kind of bogus product announcement, so its a little surprising to find so many who are so easily taken in.

Why are these people so easily swayed by something that seems to have a rather obvious whiff of snake oil about it? One has to ask is there some quid-pro-quo in these reviews?

The Linux Snob sees many more questions than answers here.

@linuxsnob