My Response to "Reasons not to use Microsoft"

What I am going to discuss here is solely my personal opinion and it should not consider as official answer from any company. Richard Stallman posted an article called “Reasons not to use Microsoft” and you could read about it from here https://stallman.org/microsoft.html . I retrieve this article on 9/6/2019, so it might change later on and my post reflect the post on that day. The following are what already posted there:

• “Microsoft is running a patent protection racket, threatening to sue users of free software.
• Microsoft's principal wrong is distributing a nonfree operating system, Microsoft Windows.
• That system is jam-packed with malicious functionalities, including surveillance of users, DRM, censorship and a universal back door.
• Microsoft tricked users into "upgrading" to Windows 10.
• Microsoft Windows 10 forced software changes can sabotage the user terribly if Microsoft chooses an inconvenient time to do them. Since the article is in the mainstream media, it suggests only to buy another computer that serves a master that doesn't do this particular form of nastiness. It completely ignores the possibility of installing a free operating system in the PC—which doesn't even require buying a new computer.
• Microsoft tablets and phones impose censorship of applications.
• Microsoft's chatbot in China threatens people who communicate using prohibited words.
•  Microsoft recorded users of Xboxes and had human workers listen to the recordings.

Morally I see no difference between having human workers listen and having speech-recognition systems listen. Both intrude on privacy.

• Microsoft forced a ridiculous "open" standard, OOXML (used in DOCX files), through the International Standards Organization by corrupting most of the national standards organizations that voted.
• The specifications document was so long that it would be difficult for anyone else to implement it properly. When the proposed standard was submitted through the usual track, experienced evaluators rejected it for many good reasons.
• Microsoft responded using a special override procedure in which its money buy the support of many of the voting countries, thus bypassing proper evaluation and demonstrating that ISO can be bought.
• Microsoft pressured nearly all manufacturers of PCs to pay for a Windows license for every machine sold, thus charging every purchaser for a Windows license.
• This is referred to sardonically as the "Microsoft tax".
• (Wherever that page says "Linux" it actually means the GNU/Linux operating system rather than Linux proper.)
• The fee doesn't force you to run Windows on your PC, but it is an injustice nonetheless. One way to avoid it is to buy hardware that is never sold with Windows.
• Some countries have laws under which users have sued for the right to get a reimbursement for the Windows license. Exercising that right is a hassle, but doing so is useful as it puts pressure on the system Microsoft has set up. However, the existence of an inconvenient escape path, limited to a few countries, has no effect on the judgment that Microsoft's practices are an injustice and deserve condemnation. “

I am going to response to the above post which is available on the website too.

Speaking of patent, it is right of those who spend times to create something. People always has several options like they could create software for free and put it up and ask people to contribute and make it better while put it free or they work as company, startup or with different business model and because they are hiring people and they spend money and fund on project, they will need return of investment, so they need to use patent to protect what they have done. In open source society, if they done something which is based on their own innovation and idea, there is no need to scare of Microsoft or any company to sue them. However, if they reverse engineer and steal innovation and trade secrets, they deserve punishment. I am not saying current patent and copy-right regulations are perfect but it would be wise if we work on improving it rather than stealing others code and innovation without their permission. For one example, in this article I gave citation to link from post and then start write down my own opinion. What would you feel, if I just copy everything in a blog and say hey this is my opinion about Microsoft without giving credit to the author? Patent is there to create save road to get paid for what we have used in our brain to create new things and of course if anyone copied anything without giving any credit and following regulations, they need to pay for it. Of course, you have option to contribute to open source society and place free software and let everyone use it.

Talking about malicious functionality of Windows, on what ground this has been said. If you are referring to software bugs and errors, then as software engineer, we all know software comes with defect but we have to control them and Microsoft doing good job in this case. I wish there was some fact and logical discussion so I could go through it but I personally had more trouble with Linux and majority of open source products including forcing to write hundreds line of bash code for simple issue. On what ground Windows is spying on users? Any proof or evidence? When it comes to privacy assessment and security assessments Windows done a lot better job than Linux or other Unix-based systems. When company is being accused of spying, it would be nice to have some proof and evidence. Windows needs to collect certain data from users so engineers could find issues and fix them. We don’t expect people who are not programmer, go deep into kernel and find code and analyze it and post it to forum and wait for long time to get response. DRM is actually good function; it is to protect right of creators. I am surprised why people enjoy stealing other’s work? If price is not reasonable, then this argument has to be discussed and not stealing someone else work. About free operating system, well everyone loves to get free operating system. In some case, I asked users to go for Linux only due to its price. But later on, very same people switched to Windows due to shortcoming of Linux. If someone wants to write bash code day and night for simple issues and keep installing several third-party and spend more time on fixing that operating, then Linux is fine and free. But when it comes to production when there is need to spend more time on doing things than fixing things. Windows has features far better than Linux and you won’t realize it unless you work on both operating system.

Microsoft is company and they have to take responsibility for their actions. In open source and free license, if anything goes wrong no one is there to be blame and you just say it is by people and community. Microsoft needs to follow regulations of country which is operating there. Of course, if there is any country without censorship, they won’t censor anything. Censorship is not all bad things; I believe we all know how scary could internet be.

I am not sure about credibility of report regarding to Xbox recording but if the case was true, I hope to hear something like privacy authorities taking actions on Microsoft.

Again, about Microsoft Chatbot in China, Microsoft should follow regulations of local law in each country and for sure if you create something which is not following law in China or any country, government won’t sit back and simply block it. I believe we need to have dialogue and discussions about our right but we have to do with proper manner rather than fighting other country’s sovereign.

The sentence for OOXML standard seems like the author is angry that they failed to disapprove it and I don’t see any logic on it.

Manufacturer has option, they could pre-install Linux for free and don’t pay for Microsoft license but instead they chose Microsoft because they find more value on it. Will people who are from diverse background willing to write lines of code in bash to get simple task done? If Linux was good enough for general public, they will go for it. There are manufacturer’s who are shipping devices with Linux or other open source products. And no body force anyone to buy Microsoft, it is their own choice. If price is not fair, then it is different discussion.

You mention some countries has certain law which you are against them, well as you mention it is law of country and not law of Microsoft.

All people have right to be agree and disagree with something and that is good thing, we could find flaws and attempt to fix them. We could create discussion and grow our knowledge. But it would be wise to have argument backs with several evidence and real facts of the world. I seen this post is out there but without any response, so I decide to say something about it.