Inconvenient truths

A WORKER at a Best Buy outlet in Hamilton, Ohio, has posted screen shots from a Microsoft training module aimed at helping store personnel convince netbook buyers to choose Windows 7 over Linux.

The screen shots posted on the Overclock.net forum, are taken from a course entitled “Comparing Windows 7 to Linux-based PCs,” prepared by Microsoft to promote the latest version of its operating system.

That Microsoft would launch such a marketing effort is understandable. After the debacle of Windows Vista, the company has a lot riding on Windows 7. And whether it admits it or not, Linux is already a viable, often more attractive alternative desktop operating system.
What is a little surprising is the extent to which Microsoft’s marketing hacks are bending the truth to sell Windows 7.

“Customers looking for a netbook have many choices to consider,” Microsoft says. “One of these is whether they will choose a netbook that runs Windows instead of an alternate OS like Linux. This course will help you understand three key reasons to recommend Windows 7 to your customers who are considering netbooks.”

The three reasons: choice and compatibility; familiarity; and peace of mind. Let’s take a closer look at each.

Under “choice and compatibility,” Microsoft says Windows is compatible with many cameras, MP3 players, printers and scanners. In contrast, it says, Linux is compatible with only “few.” While this may have been true years ago, this is no longer the case as more and more manufacturers of peripheral equipment have released software drivers for Linux. And how much compatibility do you need to download photos from the memory card on your digital camera to your computer? This is a straight file operation, in Windows or in Linux.

When Microsoft says Windows has “extensive” compatibility with software (as opposed to “limited” compatibility for Linux), it’s really talking about Windows software. That makes just as much sense as saying Windows has “limited compatibility” with Linux software. The more meaningful comparison would be to look at the kinds of applications available on both platforms, as well as their cost, The inconvenient truth for Microsoft: practically every popular commercial Windows application has a free and open source Linux counterpart.

In the same vein, it is ridiculous for Microsoft to tout the availability of its Windows Live programs when there are so many counterparts in the open source world that do the same things--only better.

Two claims in the same slide are bald-faced lies: that Linux does not support video chat and instant messaging (it does) and that user’s can’t get authorized support for Linux (they can).

The statements made under “Peace of Mind” are equally deceptive.

In one slide, Microsoft describes as a myth the idea than Linux is safer than Windows when all statistical and empirical evidence shows otherwise.

There are an estimated 140,000 viruses that target Windows PCs; there are maybe 30 in the Linux world, none of which are a serious threat because the operating system is more secure by design. Consider this: Linux users who install anti-virus software do so to protect Windows users with whom they share files. The Windows viruses don’t affect their Linux PC, but they can be passed on to other Windows PCs.

Here is one more piece of empirical data. I have been running Ubuntu Linux for three years without using any anti-virus software and my PC has never been infected. If you ran a Windows PC in the same unprotected manner, you’d probably pick up a few nasties in just three hours.

To argue, as some Windows apologists do, that there are more Windows viruses simply because there are a lot more Windows PCs does not change the facts one bit. The inconvenient truth for Microsoft is that Linux is safer than Windows.

The one claim that Microsoft makes in its training program that is spot on is that most users will find the Windows interface more familiar because they have used Windows PCs at home and at work before. But this too will change as more people realize that Linux is the better and safer way to go.

Ken Starks, in his Blog of helios, compares Windows users to Charlie Brown who keeps falling for Lucy’s trick of pulling away the football just as he’s about to kick it. But I’m confident that unlike Charlie Brown, many of these Windows users will wisen up one of these days. I should know: I was one of them.

"If you ran a Windows PC in the same unprotected manner, you’d probably pick up a few nasties in just three hours.”

Hmmm, maybe much shorter, probably 30 minutes

Please Chin, go easy on Microsoft, will yah?  That training module does carry some truth with it.

Consider these:

a)Software Compatibility.  C’mon Chin, you’re contradicting yourself here.  You said so yourself, that Windows is “compatible” with 140,000 viruses while Linux is only good for 30.  That’s 4,667 to 1!!  Windows wins hands down!

b)Peace of Mind.  Again you are saying half-truths about Windows.  In my case, I bought a one-year subscription to AVG for $50.  Not content with that, I also bought Zone Alarm which has a very robust firewall for $30.00.  If those would fail, I also have DeepFreeze ($45) to bring my system back to its pristine state.  And even if that would fail, I have a Linux Puppy Live CD I customized to exorcise those demons from my system.  Hey, with all that, only a sick paranoid won’t have peace of mind.  Now, can anyone help me find an alibi why my wife’s credit card was maxed out?

c)Familiarity.  Yeah!  True.  Took me one hour to figure out that the Start Button of Ubuntu is at the top of the screen, not at the bottom, and it’s not even called a Start Button.  Worse, when I wanted to surf the net, I couldn’t find Internet Explorer!  You know, that icon with a blue e in it.  All I could find was an icon of a fox with his tail on fire (poor animal) and it’s called a web browser, not Internet Explorer.  And oh, before I forget, it was difficult shutting down Ubuntu because in Windows, I clicked on “START” to shut down.  In Ubuntu I have to click on aaahhh...Shutdown!

d)Hardware compatibility.  Again Windows wins hands down.  I plug a device in, then I scramble for its driver CD.  See, it’s plug and play (you plug in and then play the driver CD).  Everytime I plug a device on Ubuntu, it’s really frustrating because I couldn’t find a Linux driver in its installer CD.  I don’t know why though, but somehow the device worked every time.

e)No IM’s/Video Chat in Linux.  That’s true.  Until someone gave me a webcam for my birthday.

f)Updates.  Linux and Windows just about even.  Or let’s just say that Linux wins by a split decision because only recently, Windows suddenly began telling me my XP was not legit.  It was OEM- came when the machine when I bought it brand new. 
g)Is it true that liars go to hell?

(Sorry, Chin, this long week drove me loco. Hehehe.)

Mr. Chin,you’re always bashing Microsoft especially Windows. You are so Microsoft hater or just a Linux fanboy. Everytime I read your blog and the entry is about microsoft, you always have a negative interpretation. Come on’ don’t be so biased, if you don’t like MS then don’t use it,anyway you have your Linux. I have downloaded Ubuntu since 8.10, used it and tried it for a week but disinstalled and go back to Windows due to incompatibility of drivers and some programs.  Don’t forced others to use Linux, because MS works simply for them. Besides one is free to choose which OS is good for himself.

Hello Paul,

I do not force anyone to do anything. I can try to persuade, but that’s a totally different thing.

The opinions I express in this blog and in my column are my own, and though I try to support them with facts and logic, you are free to agree or disagree with them, just as you are free to stop reading my work if you find it so disagreeable.

And of course you are free to use Windows. Far be it from me to deny you the pleasure of fighting off viruses and other malicious programs that thrive in the Windows world.

What can I say? There is none so blind as he who will not see.

@ReAnk:  You cracked me up. All the while I thought today was April Fools day.

@Paul: Everytime you read Chin’s blog you learned a thing or two, admit it. If you can’t live with his so called “MS bashing” then don’t read it, its your choice too. Chin ain’t forcing you, or you admire him too much that you easily get persuaded?

And you might as well avoid reading this comment… MS sucks! MS sucks!  MS sucks!

Smile, to each his own.

P.S.:  You UNINSTALL it, not DISINSTALL…

@Paul: I think you have attached yourself to The Matrix too much, which in itself, a prison

Bottom Line: Free Your Mind.

I bet you MS-Windows people lovers that 90% here in our country are using fake copies of MS-Windows.  If you go to a thorough survey in our country, 90% of households, businesses, internet cafes, schools and other institutions are using fake copies of Windows.

Chin’s point is that there are alternative operating systems for computers and also helping them in guiding what are the alternatives OS rather than continue using a fake copies of MS-Windows which is not the right thing to do for god-given morality sakes people! which is very sad to think.

I believe if we Filipinos use and utilize open source software our country will become a great country or even more rich and powerful country rather than become a bunch of MAIDS or technological slaves! because of using software especially proprietary software from foreign countries.

"The one claim that Microsoft makes in its training program that is spot on is that most users will find the Windows interface more familiar because they have used Windows PCs at home and at work before”

Well they blew themselves out of the water with that one. Anyone switching from XP to Vista or Seven is in for a world of confusion working out where familiar things have gone. I have to say the switch from XP to Linux Gnome is easier. XP to Linux KDE is going to be tricky though.