Boycott Microsoft - NOW!

Buying a PC? Buy a used one and load Linux Ubuntu or buy a MAC. Anything but Microsoft. Here's why:

Even the most apathetic and stupid Americans
know that our government is horribly corrupt, helping the rich
at everyone else’s expense. Anyone with a clue about politics
knows that corporations effectively control the government, along
with the media and most other major institutions. It isn’t
much of an exaggeration to say that corporations are the root
of all evil.

Most U.S. citizens prefer to stick their heads in the sand or,
at best, cast a lame vote for whatever candidates the corrupt
Democratic and Republican parties trout out each fall. But some
of us prefer to fight back, and few targets are more tempting
than Microsoft and its founder, Bill Gates.

If you already understand WHY Microsoft should be boycotted,
skip down to HOW you can boycott Microsoft.
And if you’re already boycotting Microsoft, learn how you
can help spread the word.

Aren’t Boycotts History?

Many people seem to think boycotts are history. Some corporations
are so big, we just can’t live without them. (Imagine boycotting
gasoline!) In our ever more complex society, it’s hard
to even know what corporation owns a particular brand name or
produces a particular product or service. And how do you rally
enough apathetic Americans to make a boycott work?

Microsoft is a very special situation. Not only can most people
live without it, most people would actually be better off without
Microsoft. Believe it or not, there are higher quality alternatives
to most Microsoft products that are often cheaper to boot. In
fact, most open source software is free.

Nor are Microsoft’s products and services hard to identify.
On second thought, Bill Gates has managed to disguise a few services.
But his flagship product, Windows, has Microsoft written all
over it. Ditto for Microsoft Office.

In fact, it’s really hard to miss a Microsoft product
because Bill Gates is so damn greedy. Purchasing a Microsoft
software program is like buying one big, endless advertisement.

Rallying apathetic Americans to boycott Microsoft is another
story. It is admittedly very, very tough. Even many web designers
who complain bitterly about Microsoft nevertheless support it,
like prisoners of war.

Fortunately, we have an ally named Bill Gates. His extraordinary
greed, arrogance and corruption and his penchant for designing
crappy software are shaping public sentiment.

Why Boycott Microsoft?

Where do I begin? Microsoft is one of the world’s most
powerful and corrupt corporations. Its founder Bill Gates, is
the richest person in the world and almost certainly ranks with
George W. Bush as one of the ten most hated people in the world — and
not just because he’s rich.

However, money does tend to corrupt, and Bill Gates was born
with the world’s biggest silver spoon in his mouth. He
apparently inherited his greed, arrogance and corruption from
his father, a notoriously corrupt and powerful Seattle attorney
and founder of the lobby/lawfirm Preston Gates & Ellis. One
of PGE’s most famous employees was Jack Abramoff, one of
the most sensationally corrupt political lobbyists in American
history. PGE also employs Slade “Skeletor” Gorton,
one of Washington State’s most famous former senators.

People who are clueless about Microsoft software may nevertheless
hate Gates because he’s a leader in outsourcing Americans’ jobs
to other nations. Or they may hate him because he’s such
a powerful supporter of the Republican Party, or because he supports
some of America’s most corrupt Democrats as well.

More politically savvy people fear Bill Gates as some sort of
super snoop who lives in their computers and may be conspiring
with the federal government to spy on us.

Few people are aware of how ruthlessly Bill Gates exploits education
and America’s children. Talk about a double whammy — screw
taxpayers and consumers, then screw their children for good measure.

Speaking of taxpayers, Bill Gates loves corporate welfare. He
even screwed Seattle taxpayers out of millions of dollars when
he relocated his phony philanthropic foundation’s headquarters
to the Seattle Cernter. What kind of philanthropist can’t
even pay fair rent?

But what if you don’t care about politics? What if you
just want a computer that works the way it’s supposed to
and doesn’t cost an arm and a leg.

Well, you can still boycott Microsoft by spending less money
on superior software. Or you can spend more money on an Apple
Mac that will pay for itself in the long run. Or purchase the
new Mac Mini, which is very affordable. Ironically, one of the
main reasons so many millions of people stick with Microsoft
is that they simply aren’t aware of the alternatives. This
is due in part to Microsoft propaganda.

The Time is Ripe

I have long blasted Microsoft on political forums, including
Democratic Underground (DU). I noticed that Microsoft threads
often turned into heated discussions, as “Microsoft whores” rallied
behind their master. Since defending Bill Gates against charges
of monopolism and corruption was becoming increasingly tougher,
the Microsofties sought refuge behind Bill Gates’ alleged
philanthropy.

After I was banned from DU, I continued to monitor its forums
and noticed an intriguing development: Bill Gates’ defenders
virtually disappeared, and people began to increasingly sneer
at his “philanthropy,” many people finally recognizing
it for the sham it is.

This is powerful evidence that Bill Gates is losing his public
relations campaign, and for good reason. Some of Bill Gates’ most
powerful allies, notably the Republican Party and the sinister
lawfirm of Preston Gates & Ellis, are under fire.

Having lied, cheated and bribed his way through the U.S. court
system, Bill Gates is now being held accountable by the European
Union and various foreign nations.

Outside politics, Microsoftware has become an ever bigger joke.
The next major upgrade of its flagship product, Windows, is long
overdue, even after being stripped of many of its features. Vista
was originally scheduled for release in 2006 (2005?), but it
won’t even be available for the 2006 holiday season.

Given all of Microsoft’s self-imposed headaches, it isn’t
even clear if there will be a big rush to upgrade to Vista even
after it is available.

People probably won’t upgrade to Internet Explorer 7.0
en masse until Vista becomes available. In the meantime, the
mighty Firefox Internet browser has attracted an almost cult-like
following. In fact, there are several browsers that are superior
to Internet Explorer.

While the world waits for Longhorn-Vista to come limping out
of the chute, other competitors are sharing the spotlight with
Firefox. Apple seems to announce a new sensation every week.
Indeed, it’s interesting to ponder how many more operating
system upgrades Apple will produce before Microsoft finally releases
Vista.

People who aren’t yet ready to part with Microsoft can
now operate Windows on Apple computers with the help of a software
program called Boot Camp. Even more exciting are programs that
allow Apple/Mac software and Windows to operate simultaneously.

Spreading the Word

The medical profession was taken over by corporations long ago,
as family doctors were replaced by HMO’s and health benefits
began to deterioriate. I began working in public education just
in time to witness the de facto privatization of America’s
public schools.

Thus, it could be argued that doctors and teachers are no longer
professionals, since they have so little control over their professions.

Fortunately, I found an exhilarating freedom as a website designer
and publisher. I can work out of my home or on the road with
a wireless laptop. I can choose my hours, my topics or specialties
and my clients. It is no exaggeration to say that web designers
rank among the freest Americans, even if the field is competitive.

Amazingly, most web desingers suck up to Microsoft. They may
complain about Microsoft, Microshaft or M$, but they seldom challenge
it. Frankly, I think these people rank with teachers as America’s
biggest sellouts.

Wake up! You CAN challenge Microsoft, from both a practical
and political perspective, and survive. More than survive, you
can actually benefit from telling your customers and visitors
about superior alternatives to Microsoft.

You can start by bashing Microsoft and/or promoting the competition
on your websites, as I do.

Copy one of these to your Facebook or web page:




Slim & Elegant A little louder...
2 Radical!