The FSF's Anti-Windows 7 Campaign

You can read all of their propaganda here. I'm sure you'll find it either hilarious or as aggravating as I did. In response to this stupidity I wrote them an email. Would you like to read it?... Of course you bloody would

Hi
I am writing to give my two cents on the "Windows 7 Sins" Website.
About three years ago, I was looking for a comparison between Windows XP and Windows Vista's performance to render judgment upon whether I would upgrade. It was then that I found a website, I think it was something like "badvista" or something to that effect. It was run by the Free Software Foundation and it listed many scary and frightening facts about Windows Vista. At the time I was an impressionable fifteen year old and I took in all of these facts like a sponge. It was then that I discovered Ubuntu and I've had a windows system dual booted with Linux ever since, be it Mint, OpenSuse or Ubuntu. I was terrified at the idea that Microsoft would be spying on me if I installed Windows Vista. Since then I have come to understand many things. For instance, Open Source isn't immune to the "evil" of propriety software, just look at Darwin, or as it is known in it's modern guise: Apple Mac osX 10.6 Snow Leopard. I have also come to understand that the facts presented in badvista and windows7sins is nothing more than mindless propaganda designed to instill fear in people and sell (not in a literal sense) Open Source software.
In my eyes you are using devious scare tactics which make you no better than Microsoft. And did you ever stop to think about Apple and it's monopoly? Or is the fact that osX is based on a GNU distro enough to absolve them of their "sins"?
I, personally, am currently sporting a desktop PC dual booted with Linux Mint and Windows 7 RTM (final) And have had no impediments when it comes to copying, distributing or sending media files, this DRM crap is no more than a myth to me. WGA is just another fun challenge to circumvent. And to be frank, if Microsoft were spying on me, surely they would have had me arrested by now.
I would like to clarify that I don't have anything against Open Source software, I love Linux and always will. I also love Windows 7, It's the most wonderful operating system I've ever had the pleasure of using. Vista was crap, XP was not much better, but Microsoft seem to have gotten it right this time. I love and respect this OS so much that I'd go out and pay for it were it not for the fact that Microsoft have given me a complimentary copy of Windows 7 Ultimate for participating on the Technical Beta. I invest as much time in using Linux Mint as I do in Windows 7, and if games companies produced Linux versions of their games, I'd consider switching permanently. But as it stands, that's where Microsoft has beaten Linux.
I think this whole website was designed as a spiteful backlash at the fact that Linux is no longer the only operating system that runs effectively on netbooks.

I just wish software vendors would stop taking cheap shots at each other and allow the end user to decide which software they want to use.

I anticipate your reply.

I just get so annoyed when people pull stunts like this.

I like the bit about children being brainwashed into using Windows. Children need to use a computer to further their education, they don't need to spend inordinate amounts of time struggling to understand an OS who's fundamental principal is to do things the hard way. Teachers can't waste their time learning how to use complicated OS's, in order to do what they could have done simply and quickly with Windows. They need to spend their time teaching children. Besides, teachers are not computer nerds, a lot of them have enough trouble struggling with Windows, which is made for people who don't know how to use computers.

I totally agree with you, here in the UK, students aren't taught CLI's until they're at least well into their first year of college. Linux is far too complex for kids to use. Just the other day I was using Linux when my ten year old stepbrother asked me what it is and what the point of using it was when it's so complicated. Kids just wouldn't be able to grasp the fundamentals of Linux, unlike windows which gets easier with every release.

I'm sure Linux has it's place. I've only used it once, when a fellow wanted me to fix his computer, install a printer, hook up the internet, some new drivers, virus check, so on, normal computer stuff. Imagine my shock when I get there and it's Linux. And a distro I've never even heard of (and couldn't figure out how to check what it was anyway). Took me about seven hours to nut all that out, and I am (was before the financial crisis) an IT professional. Imagine a normal person trying to do it! Python programs, and having to compile things, and so on. It's just too much for normal people. Linux is probably an awesome OS once you know how to do everything, and I've heard for servers it's just brilliant.

For me Linux is merely an academic curiosity, it's finctionality no greater than that of Windows. Aside from the ethical "Linux is the saviour of the computing world" crap, what else does it offer? Don't get me wrong, I enjoy using it but that's only because it's different to Windows, not necessarily better.

I do have a copy of a CD bootable Linux, but I've never gotten around to using. I can't find a reason. What kind of stuff can you do with it?

@Glenn
I guess one of the main uses of Linux is in supercomputing, seeing as windows doesn't run on that kind of specially designed hardware. I guess the other use it has is satisfying curiosity. I guess it's also kind of fun to use, all the command line stuff is quite fun and interesting, but as for practical deployments of Linux, it's main uses are supercomputing and servers. The one thing it has over windows is that it can be installed on just about anything, phones, computers, the X-box 360, the PS3 etc.

@Drew
Thanks for saying my email was articulate, that's how I intended it to be, but as I got about half way through, my anger got the better of me and it turned into a rant, lol. As yet I've had no reply from the FSF, maybe they weren't expecting people to see through their mask of righteousness and call them out on it. What worries me is how many people are going to fall for it. As I said in the email, what they're doing is a mixture of misinformation, propaganda and flat out lies.
Is it just me or is Microsoft the only one of the big three (Microsoft, Apple and the FSF) that doesn't resort to cheap shots via advertising? Rather than talk about how crap Mac OS x is they'd rather talk about how awesome their products are. Unlike Apple with their downright childish "I'm A Mac" adverts.

Lol, I'll definitely agree with that statement. Incidentally, I've just written to Paul Thurrott, who runs winsupersite.com, asking him to write an article on his site about this sickening display, It would be interesting to read his reaction to this.
The main thing about this that has made me angry is that more often than not, Linux users are seen as being above the petty advertising crap as Linux developers aren't out to make money. This shambles is having a doubly negative effect by spreading fear and lies about Windows and giving Linux users a bad name. I see no point in this crusade, in the end, what is it going to achieve apart from less profit for Microsoft and more people still not paying for Linux?

This is a copy of the email I sent to Paul Thurrott:

Paul

I'm an avid reader of winsupersite.com and love the way you write your articles; they're funny, informative and downright entertaining to read. My purpose for writing to you is to ask that you write an article on the following site: Windows 7 Sins — The case against Microsoft and proprietary software

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