[ale] OT: if this won't make you want to puke....

Jeff Hubbs hbbs at attbi.com
Fri Jan 17 17:53:38 EST 2003


Good troll.  I'll bite.


On Fri, 2003-01-17 at 17:29, Steven M. Jasmin wrote:
> Thats why the call it a free market people...he deserves his money and has
> earned it. 

Only to the extent you consider profiting from criminal activity
"earned."  Gates is a (say it with me, now)
CONVICTED...ILLEGAL...MONOPOLIST.

> If you dont like microsoft for being a huge company with complete
> market share you might want to consider moving to Russia or some other
> communist/socialist country. 

No, I don't like them for basing their entire business on illegal
practices (all the way down to dumpster-diving for code) and practicing
social engineering on a scale that would have impressed Joseph
Goebbels.  I don't like them for making it nearly impossible to provide
cost-effective and flexible IT resources using their products and for
infantilizing computer users everwhere ("MY Computer," "MY Network
Places, "MY Documents," MINE, MINE, MINE!).  I don't like them for
producing such shoddy software that many people just buy new computers
when the file system on their old one gets so corrupted that the things
won't even boot anymore (more money for MS, right?).

> I mean seriously for all of the reasons to be
> pissed of at microsoft the fact that they are millionaires is at the very
> bottom of the list. They earned it and deserve to reap the beneifits of
> their work. Hence they call it a free market economy and Bill Gates is one
> of the few people who has truly achieved the fabled "American Dream" that
> everyone loves to harp on.....

It's an "American Dream" as envisioned by Kenneth Lay, Jack Welch, and
their ilk.  It's a question of being able to live in perpetual, armored,
pampered comfort while their business decisions drive down the standard
of living of the people who shuffle past in the wake of their
limousines.  It's a question of, having exhausted LEGITIMATE means of
making money, moving on to ILLEGITIMATE means.

> Be pissed of at Microsoft for releasing horrible programs, untested
> software, and security holes that you can drive aircraft carriers through,

Only secondarily, as I use less and less of them and buy even less all
the time.  

> but do not be pissed at them for achieving the american dream for it is only
> your own personal jealousy that shines through in that insult.
> 
> Spam me all you want but i firmly stand by my statement.

Good; you're an easier target for it.

NEXT!?

- Jeff

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