Let's Fight Microsoft

[DavidB]

What I'm saying is that you can't just reform the system overnight and then expect it to stay that way after you step down. Political and social systems have to be installed over time. Which is why all our bullshit in Iraq is so useless.

I know. that's why I inserted the word "fantasy."

To be perfectly honest, I think Americans almost need a dictatorship. They're simply too stupid and apathetic to operate a democracy. In fact, it's pretty obvious that the U.S. is no longer a democracy. (Having run for public office in one of America's chief corporate brothels, I could tell you stories about that.)

That said, Castro himself is kind of a fantasy. I mean, who could imagine a dictator who is actually a better ruler than many democratic leaders? I'm not saying Castro has no faults, but you've got to give credit where credit's due. He's ten times the man George W. Bush is.

I'd love to see Cuba and Venezuela team up on a killer Linux program that blows Microsoft out of the water.

[Refalm]

Blame our pussy webmaster - this place used to be called FuckMicorsoft.com

Don't call CommonSense a pussy. He did it for the media coverage (only a little bit from Forbes and ZDNet so far).

[Refalm]

I disagree with death penalty and that that stupid founding fathers constitution bullshit which allows criminals to get guns easily.

Most Europeans think those two are the cause of most of US problems today. Oh, and 90% of the Dutch population believe Bush is a total moron.

[Annorax]

I agree with the death penalty for repeat offenders and those who can't be rehabilitated. Spending millions of taxpayer dollars to warehouse convicts is pointless when they could be shot in the back of the head and buried in a shallow grave right after the trial for a LOT less than even a week in an average prison would cost. Murderers, rapists, and shoplifters would definitely think twice if they knew that they could be looking at immediate execution instead of years of appeals and eventual release, amirite?

I believe repealing the Second Amendment and taking legalized guns away from law-abiding Americans would be stupid because no amount of new laws could change the fact that criminals already have guns and won't give them up. What would be better for American society: criminals looting and pillaging everywhere because they have guns and nobody else does; or criminals thinking twice about trying to snatch a purse because Granny over there might be ready to blow their brains out?

Also, 90% of the Dutch population are right. The president who urinated on the separation of church and state by clearing the way for funding for "faith-based community initiatives", repealed any and all rights the people have, and started what could have become WWIII to protect the value of his retirement portfolio has to be a moron at the very least.

[Refalm]

Also, 90% of the Dutch population are right. The president who urinated on the separation of church and state by clearing the way for funding for "faith-based community initiatives", repealed any and all rights the people have, and started what could have become WWIII to protect the value of his retirement portfolio has to be a moron at the very least.

Not only that, but we get to see the worst bloopers by Bush on eight o'clock evening news.

Stuff that you won't see in the US.

[DavidB]

Not only that, but we get to see the worst bloopers by Bush on eight o'clock evening news.

Stuff that you won't see in the US.

Cool. Sometimes I wish I lived in Europe. Maybe I could find someone I could have an intelligent conversation with - something I never experienced during the sixteen years I worked in public education here in Seattle.

[cahult]

All lands have their own morons. The problem is that in US they have the power and are fortifying their positions. Speaking on behalf of the "good" of Sweden I would like to congratulate you, David, on getting at least some taste of what politics means. I myself is a hater of all that is politics. We have had politicians in the "civilized" world for about 10,000 years and these 10,000 years have been the bloodiest of all since the dawn of mankind 3,000,000 years ago. Corporations have been a part of politics all the way throughout these 10,000 years in one shape or another.

My nations prime minister, G

[DavidB]

We have had politicians in the "civilized" world for about 10,000 years and these 10,000 years have been the bloodiest of all since the dawn of mankind 3,000,000 years ago. Corporations have been a part of politics all the way throughout these 10,000 years in one shape or another.

Corporations were a part of politics 10,000 years ago?

Actually, I regard government as a necessary evil - the only alternative to anarchy - which means politicians are a necessary evil as well.

I hate the word politician, though. It's become synonymous with corruption, deceipt, laziness and on and on.

Since I've run for public office, I guess that makes me a politician, though I prefer to call myself an activist. Yet even that word sounds a little weird; a bit pretentious perhaps.

[Jenda]

Ha, if I was elected president, I'd trade places with Hugo Chavez. I'd spend my free time chasing beautiful Venezuelan women and let him wrestle with Republicans and Microsoft.

  nice one. I wouldn't wish H. Chavez to rule the US, though. You guys don't deserve the communist s.o.b.

I must say I do not agree with you too much, though. Bill Gates is a very greedy businessman. I do not believe he is truly evil, nor is Bush. But I didn't even have time to read the whole thread yet, so I will keep my silence until I get broadband and more time... september perhaps.

[adiment]

Now this thread is politics oriented...

I recommend you all to join http://www.heatedebates.com if you want to talk politics. A member here owns it (Laukev7, with the help of stryker)

[Laukev7]

Thanks, e7ement.

[worker201]

Murderers, rapists, and shoplifters would definitely think twice if they knew that they could be looking at immediate execution instead of years of appeals and eventual release, amirite?

No, you ain't rite.  Thousands of studies and evidence prove that deterrence is not actually deterrence.  I submit to you that Joe Criminal has no thought of any kind what the consequences of his illegal activities are - only the benefits.  That's why he's a criminal.  I'm not a criminal, and I don't think about the jail time or the death penalty either - I think about the right and the wrong.  You think that the death penalty is going to stop crime?  In your dreams only.  Crime is the necessary product of modern heirarchical society.

I believe repealing the Second Amendment and taking legalized guns away from law-abiding Americans would be stupid because no amount of new laws could change the fact that criminals already have guns and won't give them up. What would be better for American society: criminals looting and pillaging everywhere because they have guns and nobody else does; or criminals thinking twice about trying to snatch a purse because Granny over there might be ready to blow their brains out?

There's also plenty of evidence for this one too.  The Netherlands, I believe, has about as many people as Houston, Texas.  In Houston, you can buy a shotgun or a handgun at WalMart.  In the Netherlands, from what I've heard, a gun is very hard to come by.  Are you saying it is coincidence that Houston has a murder at least every day, while the Netherlands is almost murder free?  (Refalm will have to back me up on these stats)  Anyway, all evidence points to a distinct lack of crime when guns are hard to find.  If you haven't seen "Bowling for Columbine", it addresses many of the issues surrounding US gun culture with a unique perspective.

Reminds me of a bumper sticker I once had:
"If guns are outlawed, only outlaws will accidentally shoot their children"

[MrX]

I hope you know, I was the one who introduced DavidB to these forums.

[Lead Head]

Now we have another smart member who knows what he is talking about

[Siplus]

Well, you certainly have a well-articulated viewpoint on this subject, and happen to be very long winded.

For the most part, I agree with your views and accusations on Microsoft and Billy G. Under your 'campaign' you compare the evil and corruptiong between Bill Gates and George Bush. This is what is killing you, because only extreme lefties hate Bush. This places you in a very small (but obnoxiously outspoken) segment of the population, and makes people like me just plain ignore you.

This is where I stopped reading your shit:

Many right-wingers especially like to say, "Innocent until convicted by a judge and jury." Of course, that means George Bush and his entire administration are decent, law-abiding citizens - even though all intelligent people know otherwise.

After that little statement, you have lost my interest. No wonder you can't win an election.

I agree with the fighting-MS stuff, and I'm doing it in my own way; I work in a retail computer-ish store, and everyone who leaves is educated on Firefox and the insecurities of MS software. Many also are given to seeds to later develop into linux users. A few are curious about linux and leave with a good education on the subject.

On my still-in-development web site, I am promoting OSS and linux, and have some anti-MS sentiments (although i'm sure i'll put more in).

My friends run as little MS software as possible, and I have converted many in my area to Linux (anywhere from mentiong it to them and they install it themselves, or doing it myself)

This is all I can do, and I beleive it is a great start. We can not instantly drop everything MS... the world needs to evolve past the tyranny.

I do not want to help you. Beyond a doubt, you are a political extremist set against George W Bush because of your ideological views. I'm going to lump you in with all the other left-wingers I know and assume you are hypocritical too.

You are right in the fact that many Americans are apathetic. Guess what: it's a republic (or representative democracy), and we have freedoms; including, I suppose, the freedom to 'not care.' I'm not sure how you are getting off with the all Americans are morons angle. In fact, I take offense to that. I'm sure a certain % are morons, as can be said with any culture.

Anywho... back to the original topic: you seem to have a firm grasp of the concept but a dillusional view on reality. I'm not sure that a 'direct assult' on MS will be anything but futile, as their cash reserves and assets are immense. You will not get rid of MS; they have too many other markets they are in. I feel that they know of the power of the impending Linux revolution and that is why they have spread (xbox, for example). I do not mind their existence in other markets. I am only concerned with their OS/Application base. That base is steadily losing ground. As far as I am concerned, the mission is succeeding. Consumers, Businesses and Governments alike are converting away from the Win32 core frame. This is good.