More hypocrites than actual people? Is this site really living up to its name?

[reactosguy]

It's about time that hypocrites (in this sense, people who love Microsoft but go here to say that they hate it) are removed. I "run" Windows XP, but I don't really use every single MS product for the average consumer out there.
 
What we do need to realize is that Microsoft is a big corporation. We can't say every single Microsoft product is "full of crap" but we can usually expect the dark side to be bigger with every product. We don't want to be like Microsoft itself, where they can spread a bit of FUD to gain more positive reputation with their Embrace-Extend-Extinguish application, meant to compete with the amazingly popular Adobe Flash.

Unfortunately we are not the latest Microsuck and because this "successor" is a forum with a neat starting page, we are vulnerable to hypocrites. MS fans barely come here because of the sheer number of moderators (on another note, I just want to be biased). We can't just create a site where our goal is to shut down Microsoft, or we'll get shut down ourselves at any time. However we can create a site where we can convince most of the visitors to switch, and we can't be discussing the normal stuff. This is a really bad idea that needs urgent action, because most people will want to know immediately WHY Microsoft alternatives should be considered, not read a forum full of outdated opinions while saying that it will provide the info.

Is it possible that we can do this? Really? (Please note that I am not asking for changes, I'm just outraged that the forum has become a sinkhole full of idiots, hypocrites and dictators who wish to delete or mark this post.)

I don't understand how you guys are so protective and overbearing of this place. It is almost like this site is the only thing that gives your lives meaning, well, god bless you. Because in doing it, you take away any meaning this site could possibly have to the outside observer. To anyone outside, this group just looks like a bunch of idiots getting erections over their mod powers. So nobody ever comes in, and in doing that, you inform nobody of your cause and actually help Microsoft.

Enjoy helping Microsoft.

[Refalm]

That was an informative post.

What do you suggest as to make visitors see how other products are more superior?
What could be added or changed about the front page?

[reactosguy]

That was an informative post.

What do you suggest as to make visitors see how other products are more superior?
What could be added or changed about the front page?

Thank you.

1. We can tell visitors that the products are not superior because Microsoft is pushing a monopoly to make them use only their products. The alternatives section should explain the product's 200-character description, which product has more or less features, which platform it is run on, which license(s) it has, if it's finished et cetera. That info should be displayed in a box that pops up when the cursor hovers over the link. By telling visitors the info before they visit, they know that Photoshop has more features than Expression Design, but costs more and also has a proprietary license while GIMP has slightly less features but is a free download and is backed by the GNU GPL.

2. We can change the front page so that it displays info about Microsoft's past and present treacheries and tactics. We should extract some info from the old Microsuck (on Wayback Machine) and put it here, with a notice that says it was extracted from Microsuck.com on the Wayback Machine, because the predecessor gives far superior info. Don't forget to keep the recent topics thingamajig.

[Refalm]

1. We can tell visitors that the products are not superior because Microsoft is pushing a monopoly to make them use only their products. The alternatives section should explain the product's 200-character description, which product has more or less features, which platform it is run on, which license(s) it has, if it's finished et cetera. That info should be displayed in a box that pops up when the cursor hovers over the link. By telling visitors the info before they visit, they know that Photoshop has more features than Expression Design, but costs more and also has a proprietary license while GIMP has slightly less features but is a free download and is backed by the GNU GPL.

That is a good idea. I've been toying with the idea of creating these kinds of pages.
However, it already exists somewhat on applications:
http://alternativeto.net/
http://alternatives.rzero.com/

I was thinking about focussing more on operating systems, smartphones (although Microsoft is already being owned hard there), gaming consoles, business solutions, etc.

2. We can change the front page so that it displays info about Microsoft's past and present treacheries and tactics. We should extract some info from the old Microsuck (on Wayback Machine) and put it here, with a notice that says it was extracted from Microsuck.com on the Wayback Machine, because the predecessor gives far superior info. Don't forget to keep the recent topics thingamajig.

I looked at it, and most of the information is either old or ridiculously flawed.

[reactosguy]

That is a good idea. I've been toying with the idea of creating these kinds of pages.
However, it already exists somewhat on applications:
http://alternativeto.net/
http://alternatives.rzero.com/

I was thinking about focussing more on operating systems, smartphones (although Microsoft is already being owned hard there), gaming consoles, business solutions, etc.

Yes! We could try focusing less on Microsoft programs and more on their other products.

I looked at it, and most of the information is either old or ridiculously flawed.

I agree, but some of the information can be updated.

[piratePenguin]

I just wanna point this out:

A person who loves MS, but comes on here and acts like they hate MS, is indeed a hypocrite.

A person who dislikes MS Corp, but uses Windows 7 because it works for them, and comes on here and tells their story: they dislike MS for their business practices, but they use Windows 7 because it's much easier for them (maybe for compatibility), is NOT a hypocrite.

Please, tell me who is a hypocrite here?

You're right that we should be advocating the alternatives (and btw not spreading fud about MS or MS products), but I think somebody emitted a preconceived notion that this place is full of hypocrites - and that's simply inaccurate to say the least.

[Aloone_Jonez]

A person who dislikes MS Corp, but uses Windows 7 because it works for them, and comes on here and tells their story: they dislike MS for their business practices, but they use Windows 7 because it's much easier for them (maybe for compatibility), is NOT a hypocrite.

I agree, I tried to make that point awhile ago but I don't think anyone listened to me.

[Refalm]

I don't think people are hypocritical if they don't like Microsoft, but still use Windows to run special applications.

However, there is a lot of fear amongst many Windows users. Will the Windows applications that they cannot replace by an alternative (Brasero easily replaces Nero) still work on Linux or Mac?
Luckily, this website exists:
http://appdb.winehq.org/

For example:
Call of Duty: Modern Warfare 2 works, but Office 2010 doesn't. That's honest.

[reactosguy]

That's it, I'm going all-out here.

I've discovered something: all our members haven't logged on since last year. Then I came to the conclusion that Microsoft is getting more clever that mishaps are a rare report, or the site hasn't been bustling ever since the year I joined.

I checked the accounts of most people and I discovered the above fact. In fact some haven't logged on since 2008-9, and I just feel that the site is becoming a dead weight for most members. The only ones that come on today are mostly me, Refalm, PiratePenguin and AJ, and we have literally nothing to do around here except waste an hour of our lives to see nothing.

You think this is bad? No, this gets even better: not much has been done to revive the forum. Aside from discussions which have virtually little meaning nowadays. I really would have loved it if more people came back, but that unfortunately has barely happened, and even of the three who came back (hm_murdock, WMD, xyle_one), none have been active recently. This results in boredom around here.

The fact that this forum is slowly dying because of these reasons that I gave out, in addition to the original post, is sad. Nothing is getting done around here.

I repeat, I fear the site is coming to an end soon, because of these reasons. Move aside 2007; 2011 really is the Microsoft year and we know it. It's our fault for slacking off in the first place, and we tarnished the site doing so.

[TheQuirk]

maybe you should try going outside

[reactosguy]

Welcome back TheQuirk. 

Hmm yea maybe I was too harsh.

But now that Refalm has a project that both of us are doing, the below probably doesn't apply anymore.

It's in my sig BTW.

[bedouin]

Late to the thread, but must admit that seeing posts from people running Windows on this forum do make me mentally cringe.  Lucky I'm not seeing the OS/browser ID thing since switching to Tapatalk.

By the way, MS has nothing on Google's pure evil. 

[Laukev7]

I will be honest, and say that I use Windows 7, and think Microsoft has done a good job with the OS. From the looks of it, I can't say the same about Windows 8 however.

I still find Microsoft's business practices reprehensible, but Apple's been catching up to them in that area, big time, and although I don't trust Google, I still have a Gmail account and use their search engine.

I've been an Ubuntu user as well, but I'm heavily disappointed with their newest release. I've been too busy to replace even that OS. One of the main reasons why I used Ubuntu is Ubuntu Satanic edition; I can't find any similar desktop theme without spending hours searching for wallpapers and tweaking colour schemes. I know it's technically possible to port the packages to other distros, but the theme is too dependent on the Ubuntu logo.