Story: Unix users up in arms at Bill Gates' knighthood
Posted by: David Hallowell (Wednesday 28 January 2004, 12:40 AM)
Perhaps the reason the UKUUG has not commented on these other knighthoods is because they're areas that have no bearing on the UKUUG, Microsoft's way of conducting business does have a strong bearing on the computing industry that's why the comments were made.
Bill Gates' charity contributions were not the reason for his knighthood, it's good that he makes these donations but lets not forget how insignificant they are compared to his total wealth, it's like the equivalent of someone who's unemployed putting 10p in a charity box, one set of good deeds does not excuse ones other actions.
As for your comments on NT's marketshare, I'll be fair and say that I was pleasantly surprised when I used Win2k (NT5), I honestly believe that it was competition in the form of Linux that helped the motivation to make it a decent product. There is a place for Windows and in many cases (mostly on the desktop) it's the right tool for the job, but on the other hand there's many times when an alternative would be the better option.
Microsoft only have the incentive to improve their products when they either want to take over a market or they see a threat to their marketshare so if Microsoft ever succeeded in eliminating their competition expect to never see any further improvements in MS products. Take for an example Internet Explorer, it started off as a useless browser totally inferior to the Netscape of its time, but they offered it free in the hope to steal Netscape's market, people still bought Netscape, so they improved their product so that it was better in many ways to Netscape and their market share climbed to 90%, after this they stood still and there hasn't been an update to IE for ages, while browsers such as Mozilla and Opera are racing ahead, once IE's browser share slips again you can expect them to start 'innovating' features from the alternative browsers,
So basically, I don't want to see any OS with the same market share Windows currently enjoys, including Linux. I just want Microsoft to play fair and governments to stop rewarding Microsoft and Gates while they're currently abusing their position. A more level playing field would benefit everyone
Full Talkback thread
Story: Unix users up in arms at Bill Gates' knighthood
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Uk Unix User Group : "Microsoft's software has bee... Smithy -
Smithy, I can say that this user group is not rapi... David Hallowell
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I think Smithy, NY is off the mark. I, and I exp... Charles Curran
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David Hallowell :"Smithy, I can say that this user... Smithy
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The other point I want to take David Hallowell on... Smithy
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Perhaps the reason the UKUUG has not commented on... David Hallowell -
David Hallowell : "Bill Gates' charity contributio... Smithy
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Answering your next lot of comments, I have to say... David Hallowell
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"This is especially inpressive given that he is no... David Hallowell
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David Hallowell : " have to say anyone who believe... Smithy
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Remember I said I didn't want to see any operating... David Hallowell
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David Hallowell, it doesn't matter what the attach... Smithy
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Smithy writes:
I am going to give you a quote from... James Youngman
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One cannot help but stare at wonder at the manner... Adebayo Omo-Dare
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James Youngman : "Well, most Unix mail clients don... Smithy
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Adebayo Omo-Dare, from your name I take it you are... Smithy
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Smithy, if the person who wrote the virus that att... Jonsaw
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Smithy, though you may speak of plundering, povert... adebayo omo-dare
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Ps. With regards to leaders, new/old, and corrupt... Adebayo Omo-Dare
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I would like to question Smithy on his knowledge a... Bascule
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Smithys points on the debian servers being hacked:... Bascule
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adebayo omo-dare asserts that : "one would say t... Smithy
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adebayo omo-dare : "To me what Microsoft does or d... Smithy
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Adebayo Omo-Dare asserts : "Here too, I care littl... Smithy
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According to Bascule : "Many many companies are ha... Smithy
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Bascule : "You also said in anything windows smoke... Smithy
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Jonsaw : " Smithy, if the person who wrote the vi... Smithy
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Smithy I think you are merely a troll. You are the... Bascule
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Bascule, the linux fundamentalist, screeches
"You... Smithy
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Bascule whines: "Scalability - 2003 running on 32... Smithy
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Smithy, type in to google - ambassador peru nunez... Adebayo Omo-Dare
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Smithy, I am not at all ignorant about economic di... Adebayo Omo-Dare
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Adebayo Omo-Dare : "One wonders how long you have... Smithy
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Adebayo Omo-Dare : "Neither am I ignorant about th... Smithy
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smithy ' they Linux ource code was easily hacked.... Bascule
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Bascule :"The debian source code got stolen???
It... Smithy
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Bascule : "Though I agree there are far to few ben... Smithy
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Windows 2003 smokes Linux yet again!
Figures for f... Smithy
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Microsoft VeriTest, a
division of Lionbridge Tech... Bascule
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http://www.openbsd.org/
Less secure? One flaw in 7... Bascule
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Smithy : "Doesn't oppose the dev of Open Source So... Adebayo Omo-Dare
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We now go on to your issue about the Jews... Tough... Adebayo Omo-Dare
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Then, Smithy, there is the economy. One must say t... Adebayo Omo-Dare
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Smithy: "US GDP a sizzling ...."
Well you appear t... Adebayo Omo-Dare
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One does apologise, smithy, I did mean abolition a... Adebayo Omo-Dare
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Bascule whines : "Microsoft VeriTest, a
division... Smithy
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Bascule : "Less secure? One flaw in 7 years"
Wrong... Smithy
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aAebayo Omo-Dare screeches : "Each countries gov... Smithy
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Adebayo Omo-Dare : "Under your principle one shoul... Smithy
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Adebayo Omo-Dare : "One guesses that this is one o... Smithy
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I couldn't find those figures you mentioned, just... azura
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"azura" the moronic, uneducated, semi-illiterate,... Smithy
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"Smithy" is clearly a troll. He has used pers... Mike -
"Bascule : "Less secure? One flaw in 7 y... Dash -
Why do you Poms moan so much? Bill Gates should ha... Michael Allan
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Glad to see that we are aproaching something close... Adebayo Omo-Dare
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Smithy, one smiles when you praise Gates for the m... Adebayo Omo-Dare
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With regard to your stay in Germany, Smithy, one c... Adebayo Omo-Dare
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hi,
so what else are thay prepered to denigrate,... bryan allen
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I would like to invite you to this event.
The cool... misterMarc
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Well, at the very least it's a devaluation of the... Gerard ter Beke
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LOL.... from what I see Smithy knows absolutely no... TS
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It's common knowledge that if you mention Hitler i... Anonymous
