Microsoft Sends Linux Survey 1051
GnrlFajita writes "According to Newsforge, Microsoft is sending Linux users a survey asking why they use Linux, and what can be done to make Windows better. The article suggests taking the survey (or surveys, one for business users and one for home users), then sharing your answers with others in the community." Newsforge and Slashdot are both part of OSDN.
Splash! (Score:5, Funny)
Mr. Gates taking a long walk off a short pier?
--
Re:Splash! (Score:5, Insightful)
remove all the spyware, follow international standards protocolwise, give the user full control over security, drop that stupid online registration
and stop the we are at war with the rest of the industry attitude and you will have my cash again.
To make it short become the microsoft of 82-83 again...
Entering Phase 3 (Score:5, Insightful)
"First they ignore you, then they laugh at you, then they attack you, then you win."
How to make Windows Better... (Score:5, Informative)
Re:How to make Windows Better... (Score:5, Insightful)
The bottom line for me is exactly what you stated. They have a legal statement at the beginning that says they can make use of your answers however they want. Frankly, my comments about both Windows and Linux are professional opinions. People pay me for those. Microsoft explicitly stated that they weren't paying.
Also, when it comes to a decision about what OS to put on my own hardware, they must discuss it on my terms, not theirs. Here's what Windows would have to have to compete with Linux:
There is nothing to trust about Microsoft.
Re:How to make Windows Better... (Score:5, Insightful)
More Evil/Less Evil/Just Evil Enough (Score:5, Funny)
A. More evil
B. Less evil
C. Microsoft is just the right amount of evil right now.
Question 2: Concerning how much the next version of Windows should steal from Macintosh OS 10.3, Windows should:
A. Steal more from Apple
B. Steal a lot more from Apple
C. Still every single element of OS 10.3
D. The current crappy, half-assed ripoff of OS X is currently sufficient for all my computing needs.
Question 3: Next year, how many Windows-specific viruses would you like to receive in e-mail:
A. The same amount as now
B. More
C. A whole lot more
D. I have a Windows box still sending out copies of SoBig at this very moment.
Question 4: How large would you like the next Windows security hole to be?
A. Large enough to accommodate a small dog.
B. Large enough to drive an SUV through.
C. Large enough to drive a Mack truck through.
D. You know that huge crawler thing NASA uses to take the space shuttle out to the pad? Yeah, that big.
Question 5: C'mon, be serious. How much for your soul?
A. Already sold mine.
B. An Xbox with the complete library of available games.
C. 10000 shares of Microsoft stock.
D. Natalie Portman
E. CowboyNeal
Re:More Evil/Less Evil/Just Evil Enough (Score:5, Informative)
Re:Survey taylored with Slashdotters in mind :) (Score:5, Insightful)
Re:Survey taylored with Slashdotters in mind :) (Score:5, Insightful)
Seem like, but aren't.
For starters, the take the assumption that Windows is better than Linux, and that the only reason someone would use Linux over Windows is because of some political/moral stance.
Where is "because Linux is technically superior"?
Or "because Linux is more secure"?
or "because I prefer the way Linux acts"?
All of these are just as valid as the ones given, but don't show some sort of political bias.
How to make Windows Better... (Score:4, Interesting)
Re:How to make Windows Better... (Score:5, Funny)
-BillG
Re:How to make Windows Better... (Score:5, Funny)
Re:How to make Windows Better... (Score:5, Funny)
Bill Gates would also be an idea, if they implemented an agression-relief feature in the Office Assistant, like weapons etc.
Re:How to make Windows Better... (Score:5, Funny)
How about a nice talking penguin with duck feet? That must be what Linux users want....
Re:How to make Windows Better... (Score:5, Funny)
I know a grunting monster isn't exactly helpful, but would make me feel better to have something else grring at microsoft office when it doesn't do what I want. After all, the office assistant was never too terribly helpful.
Here's my version (Score:5, Funny)
I always thought it would be neat to write something that would add a "Fuck you!" button or something similar - clicking on it would be the same as clicking on the "ok" button, but at least the user would feel better.
Re:How to make Windows Better... (Score:5, Insightful)
Any questionaire that starts out with a legal header is up to no good. Now, if Bill were to knock on my front door, and was willing to actually talk about it without getting bent cause I said his eula's were a work of the devil (the fact that they are isn't open for discussion IMO), then maybe we could have an informative discussion.
But you *know* what the chances of that are...
First, we kill all the lawyers.
--
Cheers, Gene
Re:How to make Windows Better... (Score:4, Interesting)
The bottom line for me is exactly what you stated. They have a legal statement at the beginning that says they can make use of your answers however they want. Frankly, my comments about both Windows and Linux are professional opinions. People pay me for those. Microsoft explicitly stated that they weren't paying.
Also, when it comes to a decision about what OS to put on my own hardware, they must discuss it on my terms, not theirs. Here's what Windows would have to have to compete with Linux:
There is nothing to trust about Microsoft.
Re:How to make Windows Better... (Score:5, Insightful)
You could have ended your list here. The GPL addresses all of the remaining items.
Re:How to make Windows Better... (Score:5, Insightful)
Yup. That's been in the small print of every survey I've ever taken, and on the "comment on our product/service/whatever" form I've seen.
What's your point?
Re:How to make Windows Better... (Score:5, Insightful)
Of course they will, but Linux users can always say, "Hey, Microsoft knows they have an inferior product, so they came to us for help." As much as /. people hate Windows, this is, I think, a good thing.
First, by asking Linux users what they can do to improve Windows, it is a de facto admission that Windows is an inferior product. Second, maybe we could get some good things out of it, like fully-documented APIs and more-open protocols from Microsoft.
However, don't expect Microsoft to release jack under the GPL. Put it out of your mind, because it'll never happen. And don't expect that Linux users are going to go easy on Microsoft. We have put them in our sights and will take them down, not through legal wrangling, but because the open-source community will out-build them.
Comment removed (Score:5, Insightful)
Re:How to make Windows Better... (Score:5, Interesting)
- Clear, documented interactions between components
- Error messages that can be traced back to the faulting component, rather than just to the error reporter. (Microsoft crash error messages have become progressively less useful. Windows NT blue screens, and Win95/98 application crash errors were actually useful. Windows XP blue screens, and application crash messages are useless.)
- Documentation of all registry settings, regardless of if they should be modified manually or not. Most Linux apps have all the configuration settings documented in the appropriate man pages, or when that fails, there's the source code.
These are the three things that get in my way more often than not when trying to troubleshoot a problem. The answer to format, and reinstall is rarely, if ever, acceptable.Re:How to make Windows Better... (Score:5, Funny)
Re:How to make Windows Better... (Score:5, Insightful)
So, Microsoft should bundle *more* software?
I'm all for it, but you that for every item added, there's gonna be somebody unhappy because MSFT has (somehow or other) reduced the user's choice. And they'll be right in line behind those bemoaning the disk space reuqired to install Windows.
Before: Windows doesn't include MP3 ripping software!
After: Call the laywers! Microsoft is freezing out competitors by including MP3 ripping software!
Re:How to make Windows Better... (Score:5, Interesting)
No, GPL is a great license. It's the only way you can get major corporate investment in a Free Software project.
Look at big companies like IBM and SGI, or small ones like Red Hat. Why do they spend their own R&D dollars improving Linux, and then releasing the source code publicly? Why didn't they do the same thing with a BSD Unix?
It's because no rational company will willingly release code another company can close on them. With BSD licenses, corporations might use parts of Free Software projects in their work, but would only give out binaries.
But the GPL license gives them dual motivators: an obligation to release new code as payment for using old, and an assurance that code they do give out won't be turned against them by a competitor.
Re:How to make Windows Better... (Score:5, Funny)
But you *know* what the chances of that are...
Um, you are indeed right, the chances are pretty low. Go figure.
I mean, if Santa can visit EVERY SINGLE HOUSE ON THE PLANET in one night, delivering presents to each child in the world, you'd think the richest man in the world would be able to figure out how to personally speak with each Linux user. Geez....
Re:How to make Windows Better... (Score:5, Funny)
Ummm.... I hate to tell you this, but Bill Gates doesn't exist.
Re:How to make Windows Better... (Score:5, Interesting)
I took the survey on my windows xp notebook, answered truthfully, and when I clicked "done", IE crashed, and closed all IE windows instantly. No error messages, nothing, just desktop.
I am not sure if this is Microsoft saying "screw you then, go ahead and migrate" or if this is yet more evidence as to WHY I am migrating to begin with.
Actually, the only way... (Score:5, Insightful)
So, if it is possible in any way, fill out the survey saying, "none of the given reasons are why I
Re:How to make Windows Better... (Score:5, Insightful)
We should just be able to say "Yes, I want windows 2000 on there and Mandrake 9." And the OEM should make sure it has drivers for both systems.
Re:How to make Windows Better... (Score:5, Informative)
Why don't you specify a protocol or format in current use@MS that isn't fully documented?
NTFS, for one.
Re:How to make Windows Better... (Score:5, Informative)
The Office file formats?
Re:How to make Windows Better... (Score:5, Informative)
Re:How to make Windows Better... (Score:5, Informative)
Re:How to make Windows Better... (Score:5, Informative)
Exchange server provides a heck of a lot of protocol interfaces, but I can only presume you're referring to MAPI [microsoft.com]? In any case, you can find LOTS of documented protocol interface information for Exchange on MSDN as part of the Exchange Development Kit [microsoft.com].
I'll leave finding protocol information on the other standards used and supported by Exchange Server (SMTP, NNTP, IMAP4, POP3, LDAP, etc) as an exercise for the interested reader. (hint: http://www.google.com/ is a good place to start)
And how about "not patented"? (Score:5, Informative)
Why? Because they don't want a free replacement available so no one can do to that like SAMBA did and is still doing to SMB/CIFS.
Want to see why they do this? Load up a Win2K/WinXP file server/domain controller. Measure its performance. Reformat the hard drives and install Linux/SAMBA. Measure the much better performance now.
Re:How to make Windows Better... (Score:5, Insightful)
Survey taylored with Slashdotters in mind :) (Score:5, Insightful)
The satisfaction of not giving Microsoft more money.
I don't trust Microsoft.
I don't want to use proprietary software.
I don't want to use commercial software.
I was almost taking the survey seriously until I saw those options.
Re:Survey taylored with Slashdotters in mind :) (Score:5, Insightful)
Actually, those are important questions. Any surveys that say that any of those areas are "very important", are immediately assumed to be from zealots, and there answers are given less credence if not ignored completely. I haven't submitted my response yet (still debating on whethter or not I want to help them.) but when I do, the answer to all four of those questions will be #2 out of the 5 point scale.
Re:Survey taylored with Slashdotters in mind :) (Score:5, Insightful)
Maybe it is just my zealotry. But those four reasons seem like real reasons to me. Not the only ones.
I find it offensive that some people try to paint Open Source advocates as zealots, but Microsoft zealots are painted as "reasonable". It is reasonable that Microsoft wants to declare war on my profession. They want to take the bread off my table. They want complete and total domination. If there is anywhere left to work it can only be at Microsoft's pleasure as a Microsoft raped solution provider or somehow in collusion with Microsoft. They say in interviews that they believe that their fair share of the market is 100%.
I am just being defensive. Microsoft is the one declaring war on me.
Why it is unreasonable to take a customer-centric view of everything rather than a vendor-centric view of everything.
I regularly have debates with a Windows zealot. He is every bit as biased, passionate and a zealot as I am. But he doesn't believe that he is. I recognize that I am. I try to still make reasonable decisions. But how can a True Believer Zealot (tm) who thinks they are NOT a zealot make reasonable decisions?
How is it that only Open Source people are zealots?
However (Score:4, Insightful)
Re:Survey taylored with Slashdotters in mind :) (Score:5, Insightful)
Re:What's wrong with commercial software? (Score:5, Insightful)
Yes, you are a troll, but you accidently made an important, but incorrect comment.
I pay for linux. Every production machines I have that uses linux, has paid support. I have purchased every version of RedHat in the box, since 4.2 (except 9, which had no box set).
I use both windows and linux, in about equal quantities. I use windows where I have to use proprietary software on the desktop. I use linux where I need machines to be bullet proof reliable and dedicated to do one or two tasks at very high performance levels.
I AM trying to migrate to Linux fully, but not because of money. Its because of choices. I have an old dual cpu pentium pro 200 box that I run as a dedicated DNS server. Old, but still very good performance and incredible uptime. It is stripped down to a kernel, bind, sshd and a few utilities. This means very little CAN go wrong. I could do the same thing on a new box, or an old box, with the load being the deciding factor.
MS does not give me the option to do this, as you MUST install the gui, not practical to use BIND on, has 10x the amount of software to do the same task. Also, it is impossible to backup the entire OS with Windows (on purpose). MS does not give me the option of taking an old machine that is out of production, and installing the same OS and BIND, to act as a backup (unless I want to pay for a license I am not likely to use). Linux does.
I use Linux, not because its cheaper (its not for me), but because I am too lazy to keep up with the other 95% of the OS that is not necessary for any given task, AND I am too professional to NOT keep up with it if its installed. At the server, Linux is is just faster, easier to install, more reliable, more stable, faster, better supported, easier to customize, easier to maintain, easier to learn, easier to backup and restore, smaller, more flexible, and requires less manhours than Windows.
After previewing this comment, I realized I was wrong. When you consider all the costs, I guess it is cheaper then. Hmm.
Somehow pathetic (Score:5, Insightful)
like when the retarded kid at school asks you how to become more popular..
Still, the biggest advantage I can think of is the open source model - the industry has been working for years on ways to increase reuse, but commercial licensing and patent issues get in the way of that.
this makes MS looks stupid (Score:5, Insightful)
Re:this makes MS looks stupid (Score:5, Interesting)
If MS shows respect and tolerance to the open-source community, it can win over many Linux fans. Too often, they've spread FUD about Linux, and they write off Linux users any chance they can. If they show signs of friendship, and even show interoperability with open-source products, that would lessen many people's hatred of Microsoft.
Re:this makes MS looks stupid (Score:5, Insightful)
Do you think that is what they are really doing though? My first thought was along the lines of yours. If they are asking maybe they will actually listen. But I don't really see them listening to most of items that I see being brought up (here at least)
1. Security. Everybody wants tehm to be more secure but it isn't like they are putting the bugs in on purpose. They may be sending the products out the door before they are ready but that isn't going to change, market pressures being what they are. They have made some strides but it is the most popular and hammered on OS. Add that to their old mantra of making everything work together (as long as it is MS branded) and they are always going to have some security issues.
2. Open standards. We all want to see NTFS and the office formats documented and released. Never gonna happen. MS Office Rul3z the business world. They have considerable disincentive to make everybody else be able to use their doc formats. They have gotten where they are through "embrace and extend" and I don't see that changing.
Those are the main two I am seeing and have heard people talking about. Maybe we will get some small things in there, people making suggestions for their favorite eye candy piece but the nuts and bolts aren't going to change.
Do i think we should do the survey? Ehh, i am up in the air about that. It does seem like we would be giving them free market research but at least maybe we could get tab browsing or something built in.
Re:this makes MS looks stupid (Score:5, Interesting)
Yes, these are bigger problems that Windows doesn't have. In Windows, installation is easy, package management is (now) painless, and there are no major missing features or bugs that can't be solved with either some GUI workaround (as opposed to Linux's often "edit some obscure config file") or a quaint third party program.
Despite these problems though if you can muddle through them Linux is still better than Windows. It's filesystems are vastly better written, the kernel is ten times more stable, and best of all it's the most configurable operating system in existence. You can make Linux look any way you want.
I'm nowhere close to being a guru on Linux. I still can't even make it through a Debian installation (partly because my internet connection sucks). I despise portage and apt-get. RPMs, IMO, would be far better if they didn't suck with their can't solve their own dependencies problem. And worst of all, I have 10 years of experience with Windows. But despite all of this against Linux, I still prefer it over Windows.
So, as you can see my from my post, it's easy to both critisize and love linux at the same time, and that is exactly what I believe Microsoft is doing.
Re:this makes MS looks stupid (Score:5, Informative)
X 4.3 introduced a method for changing the screen resolution on the fly, without restarting X. GNOME 2.6 has a utility to do it, I don't know about KDE, though. At any rate, there's no longer a technical reason that KDE can't change the resolution itself, so expect that to get fixed in later versions. I've always seen this complaint as a non issue, though, since I chose my resolution at install time and I haven't needed to change it since.
no way to get a columned list view of files in Nautilus in GNOME.
Are you trolling? Seriously dude, View --> View As List, you're done. Two clicks.
package management is (now) painless
Unless Microsoft has radically changed the installation procedure since I last used windows (win98), their "package management" is pathetic. Every program has to write their own nonstandard installation wizard program that puts files all over your filesystem, and then to uninstall that program you have to hope that the wizard cleans up all it's files (most leave lots of crappy stupid files behind, and they leave their registry entries behind too, giving way for little "clean up" utilities that scan the harddrive for files to delete and registry entries to remove, that I used to be so fond of before I discovered linux.
I despise portage and apt-get.
apt-get rules! It's almost as good as yum (see below)
RPMs, IMO, would be far better if they didn't suck with their can't solve their own dependencies problem.
The problem with RPM dependencies is a problem with the tool you're using, not any inherent problem with RPMs. For example, I'm using Fedora Core, and I use yum to install stuff, everything works great, all dependencies are handled for you. Want to install a program? "yum install programname". Want to update all the software on your box? "yum update". Want to remove something? "yum remove programname". No hassles. Windows can only dream of being this easy. If you want a GUI program to point & drool, I'm sure something like that exists, but frankly I don't give a damn
Re:this makes MS looks stupid (Score:5, Insightful)
Open the source code. (Score:5, Funny)
Oh, you wanted to know how to make it better for MICROSOFT.
Not to be pro-microsoft, but... (Score:5, Insightful)
But seriously, we all complain about MS's problems, now we've actually got a outlet to complain to. If you don't speak up now, you really have no room to speak later!
Re:Not to be pro-microsoft, but... (Score:5, Interesting)
Re:Not to be pro-microsoft, but... (Score:5, Interesting)
Its not that microsoft doesnt know their weakness or why people go after linux. They know the reasons behind all these. And people have on so many occasions shown them what is the problem with MS softwares and the business practice followd by MS and why they dont like it. But the response from MS have been less than encouraging at best and bullying at worst. This survey is also, I suspect not something to know the "heart and mind" of linux users and tailor their software according to that. But I would suspect that they will use the informations from such linux studies to look in to ways to CIRCUMVENT these problems in a clever way. MS cannot and will not change their busniess tactics easily. Their entire business culture is build upon un-ethical and shoddy practices. To expect any revolutionary or fundamental change from them is naive at best. They have never even admitted their wrong doing any time despite being found guilty on so many occasions. That itself shows what sort of a mindset the people at the holm of Microsoft does have.
By a "closed" survey (Score:5, Insightful)
What value is there for me to fill out this closed survey? So that MS can later make false claims about Linux users that I can never check because the survey was closed?
It is not a matter of MS being able to scrutinize the community through surveys. It is a matter of the community being able to scrutinize the claims MS makes that affect us. The goal is to attain the truth, which is impossible in a closed process.
doh! (Score:5, Insightful)
They apparently don't plan to release the results of their surveys...
They just don't get it, do they?
Otherwise, I agree with some of the respondants on NewsForge - don't do the survey. It's just free marketing etc. info for Microsoft. They're not worth it.
Market Research 101 - here's what MS has in mind (Score:5, Informative)
(I'm sure no one will read this comment because I'm about 3 hours too late, but whatever...)
First, IAAMR (I am a market researcher.) I wasn't able to get into the survey, but a Newsforge reader posted the questions here [newsforge.com].
I've seen a lot of consumer surveys over the years, and this looks fairly typical. Most surveys of this nature are proprietary -- the research results will be for internal use only and will not be released to the public, mainly because most companies don't want their competitors or detractors to find out about their product development or marketing plans in advance. Whenever possible, companies will try to prevent anyone from even knowing that they're conducting a survey. [1] Obviously, in this case, there's no way that Microsoft can prevent the (Linux-using) world at large from finding out that they're doing a survey, but I guarantee you that they do not plan to release the results to anyone outside Microsoft.
This sort of questionnaire is designed to find out:
The questions that are of the most interest to Microsoft will be those asking for the respondent's opinions:
The rest of the questions require factual responses, and the responses gathered from them will be used to see if there are any patterns in the opinion data. In market research data analysis, we're not looking at the opinions of any specific individual; only those of various groups (Linux novices vs. experts, dual-booters vs. non, etc.), so you needn't worry about any personal retribution from Microsoft. They won't care that John Doe in Nebraska likes Linux for the home because it's "More secure than Windows", but they will be interested to learn that in general, the people who dual boot (Question 14) are more likely than those who don't to say that they like Linux for the home because it has "Better command line" (Question 11).
You may have noticed the italicized phrase "in our target market" in point (c) above. Microsoft isn't going to try to convince the hardcore Linux zealots(TM) to switch to Windows. They're going after people who aren't totally committed to either Linux or Windows yet. People who have a strong preference for Windows are already in the bag; and it would be a waste of time and money to try to convert the diehard Linux advocates. Any product development or advertising based on the results of this survey will have only 2 aims: to make the lukewarm Windows users feel that they've made the right decision, and to make the lukewarm Linux users feel that they're missing out on something better.
[1] Case in point: While I was typing this, my phone rang. It was a market research company (one of my company's competitors) conducting a survey. I agreed to participate, and lied when they asked, "Do you work for a market research company?" (People in my field do this all the time to find out what contracts our competitors have been awarded. We like to call it "gathering competitive intelligence".) Unfortunately, one of my responses to another question disqualified me from the survey. But now I know that our competitor has a contract to conduct research about tooth whitening for a manufacturer of dental care products. I'll be checking with our sales department on Monday to see if we recently lost out on a bid for this contract.
I can see it now... (Score:5, Funny)
[ ] I am a communist
[ ] I am a terrorist
[ ] All of the above
Re:I can see it now... (Score:5, Funny)
[] I am a terrorist
[] All of the above
[] I think different (Penciled in)
Re:I can see it now... (Score:5, Funny)
I don't use the "Preview Button"
[] I am a communist[] I am a terrorist
[] All of the above
[] I think different (Penciled in)
[] I don't shower
[] I don't have a girlfriend
[] I have a poster of Linus Torvalds
Microsoft Sends Linux Survey (Score:5, Insightful)
Also is it common practice for big corps to use SurveyMonkey. If they are being so open about it, why didn't they have it someplace on Microsoft's site?
Just a thought..
Re:Microsoft Sends Linux Survey (Score:5, Interesting)
When entering processor speed, 1.1Ghz to 2Ghz is two options.
The whole thing just feels somewhat unprofessional and hacked together. The options just don't gel.
Given the amount of time and effort real marketing men put into surveys (and I've been on the wrong end of far too many), it just doesn't feel like something microsoft would put out.
Plus, they would normally use microsoft.com to do the survey; http://www.microsoft.com/windowsserver2003/commun
fo
I smell hoax.
Odd, why surveymonkey? (Score:5, Insightful)
Re:Odd, why surveymonkey? (Score:5, Interesting)
My answers (Score:5, Interesting)
I use linux because
1. I expect to own software I pay for
2. I expect software I pay for to work as advertised
3. I expect not to be foreced into downloading other components I don't want of said software to keep my machine secure. (IE media player has to be downloaded to make explorer secure)
4. I expect to not be forced to give up all and any reasonable legal rights when I open the package.
5. I do not want to deal with software that guarantees via the liscence agreeement that the publisher can remotely look at my computer at will.
As soon as the law makers get their opposable digit out of their anal orpheus, and restore a modicum of protection to consumers I don't have any faith that any of the points that I have outlined above will be addressed. Lets face it, you pay for the software, break open the box, and you have no legal expectation that the software will work, in any way shape or form.
AngryPeopleRule [angrypeoplerule.com]
Re:My answers (Score:4, Insightful)
Strictly speaking, Linux cannot and probably will never be able to "advertise" in the same sense that Microsoft can. This, if anything, is a hindrance (not unsurmountable) to the spread of Linux.
I think what you really mean is "What you see is what you get." Microsoft products are the exact opposite of both parts of that statment.
Why I use Linux? (Score:4, Funny)
We also worship caffiene and you have done bad things to Java.
It's like they read my mind! (Score:5, Insightful)
A couple of sample questions from the survey (Score:5, Funny)
( ) It's not Windows
( ) It's not Windows-like
( ) It's not a Microsoft product
( ) It doesn't crush innovation with its monopoly
( ) It doesn't need a security patch every 15 minutes
5) How can Windows be better? (check all that apply)
( ) By being Linux
( ) By being Linux-like
( ) By not being a Microsoft product
( ) By not crushing innovation with its monopoly
( ) By not needing a security patch every 15 minutes
riiight (Score:5, Funny)
Why don't you like me anymore?
Love
Palpatine
Answer to Linux survey: (Score:5, Insightful)
1) Stop violating the law and pay restitution to each and every company that has been damaged and run out of business by Microsoft's immoral business practices.
2) Rescind the patent for the "long file name."
3) Have Bill Gates and the current management team resign from the company.
4) Drop your prices for your Office suite and OS to zero dollars and zero cents (plus or minus zero) to make it competitive.
5) Do not release your code until it's done, so security can be improved (like some open source projects are able to do).
6) Remove the requirements enter authentication codes and product keys. (Many open source products don't require this.)
7) Use open protocols and stop trying to sabotage everything to make a buck.
8) Try and improve your dismal reputation for shoddy work.
9) When making a charitable contribution cease donating "in-kind" the value of software given just so you can fleece the taxpayers of the tax deduction.
10) God forbid, pay some federal income tax you dirtbags.
11) In short, there is nothing you can do. Have a nice day.
pay me (Score:4, Insightful)
I always looked at stuff like this as helping some executive somewhere in the marketing deparment get a huge bonus.
Give me some!
mistake in survey (Score:5, Funny)
Re:mistake in survey (Score:4, Insightful)
You must enable cookies (Score:4, Interesting)
More Evil/Less Evil/Just Evil Enough (Score:5, Funny)
A. More evil
B. Less evil
C. Microsoft is just the right amount of evil right now.
Question 2: Concerning how much the next version of Windows should steal from Macintosh OS 10.3, Windows should:
A. Steal more from Apple
B. Steal a lot more from Apple
C. Still every single element of OS 10.3
D. The current crappy, half-assed ripoff of OS X is currently sufficient for all my computing needs.
Question 3: Next year, how many Windows-specific viruses would you like to receive in e-mail:
A. The same amount as now
B. More
C. A whole lot more
D. I have a Windows box still sending out copies of SoBig at this very moment.
Question 4: How large would you like the next Windows security hole to be?
A. Large enough to accommodate a small dog.
B. Large enough to drive an SUV through.
C. Large enough to drive a Mack truck through.
D. You know that huge crawler thing NASA uses to take the space shuttle out to the pad? Yeah, that big.
Question 5: C'mon, be serious. How much for your soul?
A. Already sold mine.
B. An Xbox with the complete library of available games.
C. 10000 shares of Microsoft stock.
D. Natalie Portman
E. CowboyNeal
6 easy steps to improving windows (Score:5, Insightful)
Microsoft's Take 5 campaign (Score:4, Informative)
Did anyone take the survey without IE? (Score:4, Informative)
I tried clicking on all of the little radio buttons, which instead of being normal radio buttons, are stupid little images that are supposed to do something when clicked.
Well, I clicked and I clicked and none of them were selected. I submitted the survey anyway, and ended up with a blank page so I don't even know what will happen.
I used Firebird on Jaguar (my stupid KVM broke, so no Linux box for a few days). But, I don't think Firebird acts radically different on OS X than on Linux.
Guess they don't really want my feedback, eh?
Microsoft list reasons for Linux (Score:5, Interesting)
This is golden. Right off the survey, written by microsoft employee(s), suggested reasons you might not like M$!
Wow, what jerks (Score:5, Insightful)
We have nothing to fear from the world's largest software maker paying attention to the needs and wants of the Linux community. Really. Honestly. We've loathed them for years because their software sucks -- why not help them do it better? If your answer is that they *can't* do it better, then fine. But that's not my answer. I can think of a number of things that I'd like them to do. I'll still use Linux, but I'm hopeful that those times I'm obligated to use Windows won't be as painful.
Or are you too afraid that Microsoft can beat Linux after all?
Realistic Security Risks of Windows (Score:4, Insightful)
If I cared to answer them... (Score:4, Interesting)
#2 Webserver - I've been known to run a website off my cable modem, and while Windows could handle this, the 10 concurrent connections thing is ridiculous. They can't figure out how to license it to make money, without making is useless to me, that's their problem. And don't even get me started on IIS/PWS exploits.
#3 Command line - It's taken a few years for me to become competent with it... but I never want to go back to the control panel bullshit. I don't why they're so scared of it, short of being ashamed of dos.
#4 Developer tools - Let's face it, I'll never be a kernel hacker. The little coding I do, does suck, and that will never change. But I can, with so many languages, I couldn't even list them all. And for free. Compare this to $600 for a non-crippled Visual Studio. C'mon... something is wrong here. No provision is made for the hobbyist developer. Trying to wring money out of someone that is constantly broke like I am, or maybe even a teenager, just so they can write little doodad programs, it stinks. Hell, maybe even a crippled VS would do, if it were free. Even command line tools. The only guy I know who can honestly be called a guru, says that he might never have tried linux, if there had been some sort of hobbyist Visual C in win3.11/95...
#5 You never innovate. Ever. Just steal ideas... I can think of 20 things off the top of my head that windows could improve, if it cared to. For brevity's sake, here's one example: Why can I only copy/paste one thing at a time? I'd much rather have a queue-based copy, so that it doesn't overwrite the last clipboard object. To select which to paste, hold the control, and keep tapping V until my correct paste appears. This is so simple, so obvious, that a loser like me sees it. Why can't the geniuses at M$? And don't even start with the little graphical widget in Office, not only is it Office specific, but it's the wrong idea. Duh.
My response... (Score:5, Insightful)
Nothing. You don't understand, your whole design philosiphy is flawed. You are presenting to the user little boxes that say "this far and no further" Such boxes do not exist with Linux. For instance, I can network every computer in my home, multiple firewire, multiple ethernet, SCSI if I want to, bond them all into one virtual interface, install openmosix, have a cluster, have it serve a webpage or my mp3s and I can do it from the internet cafe. From the command line. For free.
I don't have to worry about viruses. I don't have to worry about a document I write containing identifying information about me. I don't have to worry about what's the next thing that is going to attack my box, due to your screw ups. I don't have to worry about my computer doing things that you want it to do rather that what I want it to do. Free upgrades, for life. Don't like something? Change it. Would you like to have no bloat? Rip out X Would you like your apps to be optimized to your CPU? OK, change your $CFLAGS. Got old hardware? No problem, what do you want to do? Mail? Web? Game server? GUI overhead? What's that? You don't understand. Windows is a fisher price toy.
16. List the top one or two improvements that you would like to see made to Linux.
Gnome, stop trying to be another microsoft. Don't walk down the same road. Some of us don't want binary format registry file configuration files that can't be edited by hand.
GTK, some of us like to run
Glibc, modualize the security options. Let the user choose the level of encryption. There is a project that replaced the stock md5 with blowfish. This is a good idea.
SealBeater
Re:My response... (Score:5, Informative)
the best reply to this has been: (Score:5, Interesting)
The best reply to this has been one that Jonathan Hutchins posted to our KCLUG mailing list:
I use Linux because you've never listened to me. (Score:5, Interesting)
At any rate, if they truly want to know why I don't like Windows and why I as a sysadmin would refuse to run it on any of our servers, here it is (again):
I'm not going to submit it to their damn survey. I'd rather do it this way. It's called an open letter. But then I guess they just don't like *anything* that's open.
Two birds... (Score:5, Insightful)
If on the other hand you truly answered as responsible adults, which many of you don't seem to be, then they got some excellent advice on ways they can make Windows better and stem the adoption of Linux at home and businesses.
This has to be one of Microsoft's more ingenious marketing efforts to date.
SCO would LOVE this data (Score:5, Interesting)
Nobody's going to tell SCO directly that they are strapped for cash (can't afford licenses or lawyers) so they have a couple thousand linux boxen instead. So MS puts out this 'improve windows' survey to do that job. Then they 'publish' the results to 'select partners' , SCO being one of them.
Then SCO knows who will be a pushover for setting precedent. Maybe that or get the 'proof' that IBM is able to refute accepted by another judge in another venue.
In other words, don't fill out this survey unless you've got a few hundred million dollars laying around and the will to spend it on lawyers.
Questions show that they don't understand (Score:5, Insightful)
2.What best describes your involvment with Linux?
Hobbyist
End user
Informal team computer expert
Front lines IT support
IT administrator
Developer of internally used applications
Developer of applications for sale
IT manager
Consultant
I'm focusing in particular on "Developer of internally used applications" vs "Developer of applications for sale". In Microsoft's world, those are the only two alternatives. In the world of open-source, there's a wonderfully happy medium in-between. What about the growing group of developers whose job is to take existing open-source software, improve it for internal use, then release it back to the community (like RedHat, Apple, AOL, RealNetworks, NASA, etc.)? What about developers who write free, open-source software to work with the hardware that their company produces (like Myricom)?
In Microsoft's world, the only reasons to develop software are for your own personal needs, or to sell to make a profit.
Developers, Developers, Developers... (Score:5, Interesting)
But, then... it wouldn't be "Microsoft" would it? If Microsoft does these things... will Microsoft keep "Microsoft-like" control over the software market?
People are lazy. If you could do everything you do now on Linux without having to learn Linux
I doubt it. But, I think that it's still early enough for Microsoft to do a complete 180 and hold it's market share virtually indefinately. Try this on for size: GNUM, GNUM is Not Unix by Microsoft. I'm sure they'll call it something different.
Re:Developers, Developers, Developers... (Score:5, Informative)
They give away the
If they had fostered a Java-esque or CPAN-esque software repository
This doesn't make sense? Java-esque? CPAN-esque?
if they had given free SDK's for windows out
Sigh. They do. http://msdn.microsoft.com
if they supported or encouraged the development of free servers, browsers, desktop systems, and support utilities...
They do. I've received tons of help and support from Microsoft employees via their Development-related newsgroups. They have staff that proactively help developers, even us evil developers who like to write free, open source software (Gasp! Open source Windows developers?!?). They have bee extremely helpful, as is their vast MSDN site(s).
THEN Microsoft could have crushed the Open Source movement when it was just beginning.
They kind of have, that's why they're an illegal monopoly and "normal" companies don't have Linux all over their desktops.
If anything, the open source community is starting to force Microsoft to stop being lazy once again and be innovative. Microsoft has a nasty habit of getting lazy when it has no competition, and fierce when it does have competition.
But, then... it wouldn't be "Microsoft" would it? If Microsoft does these things... will Microsoft keep "Microsoft-like" control over the software market?
See above. If you're old enough to remember, you might remember the days when IBM was the big evil, and Microsoft was the respectable underdog that everyone cheered for.
If you could do everything you do now on Linux without having to learn Linux
I don't use Linux much anymore, except for occasional tinkering. This is due to many reasons: Microsoft now makes top-notch server products. NT 4 was complete shit. Just complete fucking shit. Windows 2000 was really good. Active Directory was great. Servers didn't crash all the time. Workstations could finally be TRULY managed centrally (via GPOs).
Windows isn't just an OS that people who "can't figure out" Linux use. Some of us prefer Windows, because it does more of what we need, and is well-integrated. I could elaborate here if you wanted me to.
Are enough people that are lazy enough to "just stay with Microsoft" developers? Are they a large enough group that they'd cripple the OSS movement?
Your first sentence is a huge myth. While development tools and languages and libraries in the open source world stay fairly stagnant and sane, it seems Microsoft is CONSTANTLY changing shit around and adopting new technologies. To be a competent MS programmer (or system engineer) for long, you really need to keep up with the industry and what Microsoft is doing.
This is both good and bad. Good because things are always getting better and you're getting new capabilities. Bad because you've always, always got to keep up with the game. Sometimes it gets ridiculous: you'll have something like
This same phenomenom doesn't happen in the open source world (As much) because developers are not profit-motivated, they are passion-motivated, so projects stand a much better chance of surviving. See seemingly-deadend open source projects which continue to flourish against all odds, such as ReactOS and GNUstep.
Re:What about BSD? (Score:5, Funny)
- Robin
(ducks and covers)
Re:Legal Agreement??? (Score:5, Informative)
BUT
I don't think this disclaimer is saying anything outlandish. They HAVE to include it for the simple fact there are greedy douchebags who would sue Microsoft if they implemented a change to Windows that resembled something the person submitted via this form.
When you're a big target you need to keep your defenses up. So unless you really were planning on suing them for making a change you suggested, I don't think that NOT participating is accomplishing anything other than letting you feel righteously indignant.
Re:I answered the survey (Score:5, Funny)
NNNOOOOOOOO!!!
That's how they designed Windows in the first place!!!
Windows is not better technically (Score:5, Insightful)
Today, Mozilla Firebird is much better than IE, and in general, Linux has a good or at least useable solution for any need I have. In addition, it's getting better every month. Bad fonts were fixed with BitstreamVera and OpenOffice 1.1 is finally "good enough". Programming tools, etc, were much better for Linux back in 1995. On the other hand, MS products have mainly become slower, more bloated and even clumsier to use.
I would choose Linux over Windows based on merit and usability alone even in the case both were equally free.
Re:Trouble with Firebird (Score:5, Funny)
Re:Why help microsoft at all? (Score:4, Interesting)