[ Thanks to Zeek
Greko for this article. ]
Of Microsoft’s recent market ventures, their “Microsoft
AntiSpyware” application is an apparent attempt by them to
monopolize the Spyware market. Not the “AntiSpyware” market mind
you. The “Spyware” market. “Say what?” You heard me right, and here
is why.
If Microsoft’s “Microsoft AntiSpyware” application removes all
Spyware from Windows computers except their own “Alexa” data mining
tools and others, which is in fact just what it does (leaving Alexa
intact), then obviously Microsoft’s own Spyware “Alexa” would be
the only Spyware software left, and Microsoft would then be the
only entity still able to collect personal data and usage
statistics on the people who are using any Windows computers that
are supposedly protected by their “Microsoft AntiSpyware.”
Now, what if their “Microsoft AntiSpyware” was included and
enabled by default in their upcoming “Longhorn Next Generation
Operating System,” offered as a free download through their Windows
Update site, or as part of a Critical Security Update or Service
Pack for Windows XP and or Windows 2000? Then, by virtue of their
90% plus share of the computer Operating System market, and the
fact that most end users are trusting, oblivious to such matters,
and would accept the default settings and look no further.
Microsoft, by squeezing out and removing all of their nearly
equally reprehensible Spyware Riff Raff competitors, would
effectively have an exclusive monopoly on the mining of personal
information and statistical usage data on all computers. Usage
information that would undoubtedly be used to solidify and
strengthen their market position in Operating System Software,
Media Player Software, and their other pursuits. At that would-be
historic moment, Microsoft would become the first company in
recorded history to be able to claim a monopoly on an underhanded
and dirty deed. The dirty deed of computer-based privacy intrusion.
Another first for those fun-loving, wacky, brown shirts at the
Redmond-based hegemony.
So, how far and to what depths of anticompetitive behavior does
Microsoft’s “so-called” security applications like “Microsoft
AntiSpyware” go? Does it deprive Real Player, Quick time and other
such applications of collecting usage statistics, while at the same
time allowing Windows Media Player full and unfettered access to
their servers for reporting it’s usage statistics? Are they playing
this same game with their firewall software? Does it keep out
everyone but them? Will they attain a monopoly position on firewall
intrusion into all of our computers also? I don’t know the answer
to these questions, but my guess based on their past performance is
they will do whatever they think they can get away with regardless
of whether it’s right or wrong.
It is my firm and uncompromising belief that it is nobody’s
business what you do with your computer, and I am surely not
advocating equal time for other Spyware. None should exist,
period! And using any Microsoft-provided security
solutions other than updating closed source Windows code when they
eventually get around to issuing fixes, is pure unadulterated
folly. To do so flies in the face of basic common sense or of any,
even basic security practices. It’s the proverbial Fox guarding the
Hen House. Who’s watching the watchers?
My first reaction to learning that Microsoft was entering the
“AntiSpyware” business and offering it to their Windows users was
to say to a nearby friend “Oh please, give me a cup of strength.
Windows is (expletive) spyware!” Much of my time when
setting up new Windows systems or updating/maintaining older ones
is spent pulling Microsoft and other software vendors teeth out of
peoples backsides and or finding third party free or commercial
work around solutions that my clients find acceptable and can live
with.
There are plenty of good third-party cleaning, antispyware,
anti-virus, and firewall applications available for Windows. Most
are free for personal use. None in fact, of the many that I have
tried have ever left “Alexa” behind, and all of these spyware
removers regard it’s components as critical to remove. It’s nearly
impossible to completely avoid Microsoft’s software products, but
it is now prudent and more important than ever before to use the
minimum number of Microsoft’s products and services as is
reasonably possible. The brain trust and egos running Microsoft
have themselves become so corrupted that they have turned what used
to be, and sadly still could be decent software into wholly
untrustworthy Microsoft Agenda Ware garbage. Because of this,
trusting Microsoft unchecked by some third party with your Windows
systems security is just plain, well, stupidity.
For readers’ information: Alexa is persistently reinstalled when
updating Windows with service packs or reinstalling software like
Internet Explorer and must be removed each time. As this is not an
advertisement, I will resist the urge to recommend an application
for removing Alexa and other spyware.
Many of you are understandably annoyed by Microsoft’s monopoly
position and (in my opinion) nearly constant deceitful and
disingenuous actions and tactics, but haven’t quite reached the
“I’ve had just about enough of Microsoft” point. Some people though
have well past that point and have sought out alternatives such as
the rapidly growing in popularity, open source GNU/Linux as a
replacement for Microsoft Windows.
You might not be aware of this Windows alternative or it’s Free
Enterprise based system of software marketing and development FOSS
(Free Open Source Software) and OSS (Open Source Software). A
system where all of the participants freely covenant to adhere to
through the GPL (General Public License) and other similar Open
Source Software licenses, that essentially ensures that a Microsoft
style monopoly on software can never happen again. This system is
currently Microsoft’s only viable competition.
Microsoft and other enemies of Free Enterprise in general,
however, are trying to get enacted worldwide, software patent
legislation that will deprive you of ever being able to say “I have
had just about enough of Microsoft” because software patents will
effectively kill off Free Software, which again is their only
competition. This will leave you nowhere else to seek an
alternative choice to their monopoly software products should that
day ever arrive. Be assured however, that Microsoft will not stop
until they are stopped by you and many others like you speaking up
and out.
Wherever you are reading this, please contact your government
representatives. Tell them that “software patents are the food and
fuel of corporate fascist control over the software industry and
you want no part of it. And, let it be known to them that If they
want to continue to be your representatives they will vote for
freedom, democracy, and free enterprise, by voting against software
patents and Microsoft’s attempt at global corporate software
fascism.