[ale] MS Propaganda representative

[Jeff Rose]

       Actually it went quite well.  It was pretty interesting to hear
MS's strategy first hand and I have to say.... I am quite excited about
.Net.  I think this could be the best thing for Linux.  They are really
trying to force people to use MS products over the internet.  Let me
repeat ... You will have to use MS Office, Windows etc. over the
internet. Businesses will never go for that.  Individuals will HATE it. 
You could hear a collective groan from the Softies in the room as they
realised they wouldn't be able to use bootleg software anymore.  They
want subscription services so bad they don't care how their customers
react.  And of course if you let your subscription run out I believe you
will lose the use of the software.  Forced upgrades on temporary
software.  Unbelievable.
          And the .Net platform?  Well I think parts of it are
interesting and could actually be quite useful.  But other parts are
quite scary.  I think it will be a security nightmare.  From what I
gather, MS believes most everything will be done over the internet and
because of that you will have to allow websites to execute code on your
machine.  DLL's can
be updated dynamically and programs changed almost dynamically.  The
example the rep used was Coca Cola has 70,000 PC's and to update all of
them to Office whatever would cost $30,000,000 on top of the licensing. 
With .Net downloading one DLL will upgrade them all because they aren't
really on every machine.  Basically other people will have the ability
to upgrade your machine at will!  But you could also use that to infect
70,000 machines at once!  But for security, your browser will tell you
what is being done to your machine as it is being done and DLL's are
required to have a proper key.  He didn't give any details about the key
but I'm assuming Microsoft will certify this stuff somehow.  Time ran
out as he was explaining how you could safely allow others to install
and run code on your machine over the internet so I don't quite
understand it.  
        So if MS pulls this off they will be the supreme Lords of
Computing but
I can't see people giving up total control of their computers.  It's
just too risky with no rewards for the consumer.  And businesses will
never go for sending their sensitive data over the internet to MS's
servers just to write a letter or update a spreadsheet.  So if MS
doesn't back off on this, I think Linux will look mighty good to a whole
lot of people.

Jeff

On Wed, 2002-04-17 at 12:54, Cade Thacker wrote:
> So how did this go?
> 
> 
> --cade
> 
> On Linux vs Windows
> ==================
> Remember, amateurs built the Ark, Professionals built the Titanic!
> ==================
> 
> 
> 
> On 15 Apr 2002, Jeff Rose wrote:
> 
> > My professor says it's ok if my friends sit in on this thing so
> > friends... anyone wishing to witness this, bring your wooden stakes
and
> > garlic.  I'll be the guy in the Linux t-shirt.
> >
> >
> >
> >
> > ---
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should be
> > sent to listmaster at ale dot org.
> >
> >
> 




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