[Sosfbay-discuss] Vi$ta = More Micro$oft's Bull$hit; a human rights issue; BadVista; Forced software upgrades can add up for Vista users

[Larry Cafiero]

Drew --

Thanks for posting the link to Bad Vista -- anyone who has an interest 
in Free/Libre and Open Source Software (FOSS, or FLOSS, take your pick) 
should be all over the Free Software Foundation's campaigns, which 
include Bad Vista and DefectiveByDesign.org, which is fighting Digital 
Rights Management (or Digital Restrictions Management, since its purpose 
is to restrict you, the user, from access to movies, music, literature 
and software).

Since the Silicon Valley arguably is the capital of the worldwide 
computer industry, I hope the Santa Clara Greens, as well as the GPCA, 
take a strong position on the use of FOSS/FLOSS. In fact, the GPCA 
platform plank needs to be updated and strengthened on this issue. 
Anyone with any ideas on how to bring the platform plank up to date can 
e-mail me off-list at larry.cafiero at gmail.com

Larry Cafiero
Liaison to the Secretary of State
Green Party of California
=and=
Associate Member No. 5030
Free Software Foundation
=and=
Editor/Publisher
Open Source Reporter
http://www.opensourcereporter.net
=and=
"Larry the Open Source Guy"
http://larrytheopensourceguy.blogspot.com

JamBoi wrote:
> Check out http://badvista.fsf.org/
>
> BadVista.org: Stopping Vista adoption by promoting free software
> by John Sullivan — last modified 2007-02-08 17:41
> The BadVista campaign is an advocate for the freedom of computer users,
> opposing adoption of Microsoft Windows Vista and promoting free (as in
> freedom) software alternatives.
>
> With your help, we will:
> Organize supporters into effective actions protesting Microsoft's
> daylight theft of our freedoms
> Aggregate news stories cutting through MS Windows Vista marketing
> propaganda
> Provide a user-friendly gateway to free software adoption
> MORE AT  http://badvista.fsf.org/
> ______________________________
>
> http://www.computerworld.com/action/article.do?command=viewArticleBasic&articleId=9012140
> Forced software upgrades can add up for Vista users
> A lot of legacy programs may not get free compatibility
> Eric Lai  
>
> SUSE Linux Enterprise Desktop 10 is the compelling alternative to
> Windows Vista
> Migrating to Windows Vista: Recognize the Security Risks
>
> March 04, 2007 (Computerworld) -- Windows users contemplating the cost
> of upgrading to Vista may need a fatter wallet than they thought.
>
> Besides shelling out for faster hardware, users should expect to pay
> for Vista upgrades for many of their favorite Windows software.
>
> Rather than releasing free patches to update existing versions, leading
> vendors such as Adobe Systems Inc., Symantec Corp. and Intuit Inc. are
> choosing to add Vista compatibility only to new releases or
> still-in-development future products. Most of these new versions will
> add significant features along with Vista compatibility. And, vendors
> will argue, if Vista compatibility is a new feature, what's unfair
> about packaging a new feature only in new versions of their software,
> rather than going back and patching aging versions nearing the end of
> their product life cycle?
>
> Still, many customers who are happy with their existing software may
> look askance at what they consider less-than-subtle attempts to coerce
> them to upgrade. And that, according to analysts, could rebound on
> Microsoft as well as Windows software vendors by prompting users to
> hold off Vista upgrades or consider switching to another operating
> system altogether.
>
> Technical shift from XP to Vista seen as 'incremental'
>
> How software vendors handle transitions for operating systems has long
> been a delicate, high-stakes issue. Move to a new platform too slowly,
> and you risk ending up like Lotus Software's 1-2-3, the dominant
> spreadsheet on DOS in the late 1980s that lost its lead to Microsoft
> Excel in part because it was belatedly ported to Windows.
>
> But abandon an older platform too quickly, and you risk alienating
> loyal, long-term users.
>
> Microsoft claims that there are already "thousands of applications"
> compatible with Vista, according to a spokeswoman. She acknowledged,
> however, that few have been formally tested.
>
> Some outside experts agree, pointing out that in the grand scheme of
> Windows' evolution, the shift from XP to Vista is relatively minor.
> "Going from Windows 95 and 98 to Windows 2000 and XP was a
> revolutionary shift. The move from XP and Vista is more incremental,"
> said Scott Matsumoto, a principal consultant at software consulting
> firm Cigital Inc. In general, porting software from XP to Vista will
> require developers to "make lots of little changes," rather than
> massive rewrites, he said.
>
> That's unlikely to be the view shared by vendors actually bearing the
> cost of developing, testing and supporting their software on different
> platforms.
>
> Most affected: security and multimedia software
>
> MORE AT:
> http://www.computerworld.com/action/article.do?command=viewArticleBasic&articleId=9012140
>
>
> ___________________
>
> JamBoi
> Jammy The Sacred Cow Slayer
>
> "Live humbly, laugh often and love unconditionally" (anon)
> http://dailyJam.blogspot.com
>
>
>  
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