Quote Originally Posted by Ian.MacAllan View Post
... Consider also the social consequences of forcing Microsoft license fees into the budgets of the schools, libraries, and non-profit public benefactors who presently depend on free software..
non-profit organizations pay a drastically reduced licencing fee for their software. For instance, a community action group in my area pays $6 for a Windows 7 Professional license ($140 for a regular Joe, and that's an OEM license). The same holds true for various schools and churches.


"This could be a feature deserving of the name, as long as the user is able to authorize the programs she wants to use, so she can run free software written and modified by herself or people she trusts. However, we are concerned that Microsoft and hardware manufacturers will implement these boot restrictions in a way that will prevent users from booting anything other than Windows."

This sounds like a bit of paranoia peeking through.


This happens all the time. People complain that they can't click on every ad claiming it will make them a millionaire, without doing anything more than clicking their left mouse button, without winding up with some sort of malware; obviously, the problem is that Microsoft releases insecure software . Microsoft responded with UAC in Windows Vista and people complained that it was too intrusive, so they just click "yes" no matter what software is trying to run. By all means, don't use a computer or don't use Microsoft products. The problem is that every PC user on the planet has different needs and expects their software to provide them with all that is necessary right there on the spot. Even CDNSushi, while "playing with alternatives for years," admits to using their evil products, because though it has faults, it is the only product out there that can provide a [non-necessary] service he feels the need to entertain himself with.

My television doesn't always play the programs that I'd like to see, but I don't throw a fit about Sony or DirectTV over the matter. It's a product, you are perfectly free to not use it, find an alternative, or build something better. By all means, Linux please stop being so humble and go ahead and lift this oppression from society.