Hating Bill Gates on a New Level

As much as I complain about Internet Explorer and Microsoft business practices, these guys are psycho.

Andy Martin and the Obliteration of Common Sense

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The Committee to Fight Microsoft (CTFM) as far as I can tell "protects our rights" as consumers by refusing to accept "bad code" Microsoft forces onto innocent consumers like you and I. Andy Martin, CTFM President says this of Microsoft:

"Bill Gates sells the public defective products, and then expects us to spend years being his guinea pigs, while he corrects the myriad of defects and vulnerabilities in his defective code. This is mass consumer fraud. It is unacceptable corporate behavior."
--Beta News

The solution, you ask?

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This is Martin's answer: He hopes to force Microsoft into ensuring that Windows Vista will either be free of "bad code" or removed from the shelves. That's right. Martin is asking for Microsoft's guarantee that Vista is bug-free or withheld from the market until it's perfect.

Let's Use an Analogy

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Martin's logic holds some intrinsic flaws:

1. First, he assumes Microsoft is releasing defective software warranting fraudulent advertising simply because the system can be compromised.
   
   So, if I build a house, and some jerk is successful in burning it down, can I be sued for construction flaws?
   
   This is exactly what virus developers do. They maliciously research ways of compromising software. A successful virus script-kiddie managing to hijack our systems into performing actions never intended is a far cry from Microsoft designing Vista that way.


2. Second, *no* software is bug-free.
   
   Developing is a process; especially when dealing with the amount of code Windows would require. It's a game of programmers against programmers back and forth. We should be happy Microsoft releases years worth of updates when vulnerabilities rise to the surface. Exactly, which OS would Martin like to switch to? Linux? *There's* a bug-free option.


3. Lastly, if you're unhappy with Windows, don't use it.
   
   Hopefully, this doesn't require any further explanation. We live in a capitalist society. XP and Vista are two of many different operating systems and we're free to choose any one (of varying quality) we want. I thought this was a no-brainer.

And my coworkers think *I* hate Gates. Hopefully Martin takes a chill pill.
-T.