[H-GEN] I love Microsoft (long response)

[Mark Suter]

(Note reply-to: being general at humbug.org.au vs Mark Suter <mark at zwitterion.humbug.org.au>)

Harry,

> I know most people in this list won't agree with me but I love Microsoft and the
> software they put out.

This does not appear to be the case.  From what you write below,
it appears as though you like the *circumstances* that Microsoft and
their products create, not the company or the products.

> Let me explain the reasons.
> 1. Their software is easier than linux for a beginner to use.

Possibly; however, certainly not to the extent that many people would
like to believe.  Just because "the Microsoft way" is known amongst a
large proportion of users does not mean that it is inherently easier
to use.

The problem with determining "use of use" is that it is very difficult
to find someone who doesn't already have expectations about how the
system should work.

In addition, I find that as a moderately experienced user, I can get
far more accomplished, far more quickly, with the CLI under Unix than
with any version of Microsoft Windows.  To place this in perspective,
I use "vi" as editor of choice - pure power.

> 2. Their software is pretty crappy.

And this is a good thing?  As other people have pointed out, we,
as an industry, should stop fixing the same problems every day and
start doing new things.

> 3. The ordinary users isn't interested in learning about their computer,
> it's just a tool they use to get a job done.

This only goes so far.  Please, find me another tool where the level
of ignorance is as high, and the use is as complicated.

Windows is too complicated to be called a "simple no-thought tool";
however, it is not usable by the advanced user without significant
modification and re-working.

> I work in a job where I assist users when Windows/MS Office does something it
> shouldn't and they don't know what to do.

This could be a good thing, so long as you were both continuing to
learn and grow.  If you were explaining the same thing repeatedly,
then this is a waste of your time and theirs.  It would be far better
if the software were consistent and worked in a predictable manner.

> I have two recurring nightmares. The first is Microsoft makes their software
> stable. The second is they keep going they way they are, linux becomes
> easier and easier to use and puts MS go out of business.
> 
> The results of both nightmares are they same. 1. Ordinary users get usability
> AND stability on their PC. 2. My job becomes redundant..

Yes.  Your job should be made redundant if its sole reason for
existence is the extremely low quality of the products you service.

How many people can take pride in their work if they are continually
reminded of the low quality of what they are working with?

> So I say "Hip hip hooray Microsoft" keep NT so hard to administer that you have
> to go on a course to figure out how to do it. Keep 95/98 and the next
> generation so unstable that I get a heap of calls and I don't lose my job.

Please, ask yourself, "Do I really want this job?"  I can't see many
people answering, "Yes, I enjoy fixing the same problems every day."
I'd rather see a more stable platform be developed where we can
concentrate on doing our job and not fixing the tools.

> I love Microsoft, I won't use their products, but I hope ordinary users keep
> using them. So if anyone knows how to get a message to Microsoft that they will
> actually read or listen to please pass on my wishes for them to keep including
> code in their latest products that was first written for DOS 2.

People continue to spend money, unfortunately that is all the message
that they need.  Many problems, for example, security issues, will
not be corrected by the major vendors until people stop buying the
products that don't meet their requirements.  As long as people buy
insecure products like Microsoft Windows, companies like Microsoft
will continue to sell them.


One of my main reasons for being a Unix-advocate is that I can
perceive value in the family of operating systems known as "Unix".
I feel that learning about how Unix works and learning to use it well
is something that is worthwhile.

For me, Unix is awesomely easy to use.  I type a few characters and
all the magic happens.  When I try to explain what the following does
to a NT admin, they start seeing very large dollar signs.

    collect.pl | ssh server1 "process.pl" | ssh server2 "store.pl"

When I explain further that this is nothing special, that I wouldn't
even blink at this, that I felt that this was secure (we have the
Source, Luke), they want to borrow the CD :-)

Unix is very easy to use, you just have to know how.

Yours sincerely,

-- Mark John Suter | I know that you  believe  you understand
suter at humbug.org.au  | what you think I said, but I am not sure
PGP encryption is OK | you realise that what you  heard  is not
Ph: +61 4 1162 2316  | what I meant.                  anonymous

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