And someone has one... Re: Virus Alert !!! - test-drb@ccmp.vtda.org

8 Mar 2001

...
 >Don't get me wrong, I hate Microsoft as much as
anyone else, but fair dues
...
 >to them for trying to bring computers to the
masses. In my opinion they're
...
 >going about it in totally the wrong way though;
don't throw together a lot
...
 >of buggy, bloated software the looks nice and on
the surface is easy to use
...
 >- instead build a robust, logical product and
provide good documentation on
...
 >how to use it. Expect your users to have to
actually *learn* something in
...
  order to
harness its potential. 
Why does everyone spread this blatant lie? Microsoft have never done anything
...
 to make computers easier! They were among the last to
provide a functioning
...
 GUI!  
...
  What have MS ever done to make computers easier? Mimic
Apple et al?

When you put it like that, yes, I suppose. They just have better marketing
tactics (note I'm not saying I *like* those tactics!)

...
 Following a general trend has never been my definition
of actively working or
...
 contributing towards a goal. 
Ahh, it's an embraced and extended following though ;-)

Thing is, for the average person who is new to computers (and maybe a little
wary of them) and doesn't want to actually learn anything about the tools
they're using, give them a bad system - like Windows - and a good one, like
Linux say, and they're going to get along easier with the windows box and
achieve their goal (whatever it may be) sooner. They won't necessarily have
the best solution (likely won't in fact) but they will have something that
satisfies them to the extent of their knowledge - which for most people is
good enough it seems.

Microsoft didn't have the vision or the initiative, no, but sadly they're
the company who is dominant in the current market. I really do hope that
changes (not least because I really don't get along with the idea of one
faceless entity controlling everything - don't even get me started on the UK
and Europe! :-P

cheers

Jules