badvista.org…bad for open source?
By Justin Silverton
About a week ago, the Free software foundation launched the badvista campaign. It is decribed in their own words as
“a campaign with a twofold mission of exposing the harms inflicted on computer users by the new Microsoft Windows Vista and promoting free software alternatives that respect users’ security and privacy rights.”
“Vista is an upsell masquerading as an upgrade. It is an overall regression when you look at the most important aspect of owning and using a computer: your control over what it does. Obviously MS Windows is already proprietary and very restrictive, and well worth rejecting. But the new ‘features’ in Vista are a Trojan Horse to smuggle in even more restrictions. We’ll be focusing attention on detailing how they work, how to resist them, and why people should care”.
and finally, the main focus and message of this campaign:
“Our campaign will ask the important questions. Can you set yourself or your company free? Can you ever be free from Microsoft? As with our campaign against Digital Restrictions Management, we aim to demonstrate that technologists can be social activists, because we know the harm that Vista will cause”
Although this is a concern, it should not be the main focus of a new campaign from the free software foundation. The main focus should be the benefits of using free and open software, not the reasons against upgrading to the latest and greatest Microsoft Product.
Many companies that would benefit from this look at Microsoft as an example of a successful business. This new campaign may just alienate them even further from using linux and other open source applications/technologies.
If the Free Software Foundation ever wants to be taken seriously, they will need to stop these types of negative campaigns.
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I agree. I understand there point however the approach that is being taken is hardly the best way.
Instead of a negative attack they need to show people what open source can do. I’d like to see some good (unbiased) comparisons between products.
I personally believe we need closed source etc. after all they are the ‘real’ technology pushers. People just dislike microsofts dominance and I can understand that.
I don’t think the FSF realizes that educating the public about the evils of Microsoft products is only part of what’s going to win people over to Linux and open source. You have to also give them a great reason to switch and make it easy and as painless as possible to do so. Thus far, the FSF simply hasn’t done that. Instead of touting the positives of OSS they’ve focused on the negatives of MS. That can only go so far. Then, you have to start telling users *why* your product is so much easier, better, and functional than your competitor. FSF and the OSS community in general has simply failed on this count.
Additionally, Micorosft has worked hard to make their technology seem cool. They’re promos are always showing users doing cool things: watching and editing movies, listening to music, creating graphics and websites, bringing families closer together through technology enabled by Windows. Linux has done nothing even close to this. With the exception of a few IBM videos, how much have companies really exposed OSS to the average person? It’s all still seen as rather geeky, technical, and hard to use and comprehend.
I love OSS and I believe it is the future of technology. But really, the community has to get over itself and it’s “if you’re not smart enough to learn, train, and understand then you shouldn’t use our software” mindset. OSS’s survival and expansion doesn’t really depend on the server. It’s in the hands of Joe Sixpack and his 7 year old daughter.
Win them and you’ve won the war.
Has Microsoft’s FUD against Linux hurt it? Probably not. In the market, as in politics, FUD works with many people. These people, however, don’t care so much about freedom so I’d say the FSF would do well to dwell on the possible real life negative consequences of using Vista rather than on its impact on freedom.
IT would be nice if people didnt fight either, but i live in the real world and microsoft runs the same campaigns against linux. Maybe it is a bit terse, but should they not inform the public about how some of the things that microsoft touts as features could actually harm their business?
I dont mind if they tone it down a bit, and tout there own benefits, but i have zero problem with them presenting some of the reasons vista isnt nearly as grand or worth the money that it many appear to be.
Other than the short-lived flame/link bait this is, nobody will see it or care. OTOH, I’m not sure if it’s admirable (they work) or disheartening (it sucks) that the sort of negative campaign tactics of Republicans should find their way into the FSF.
I also completely agree with you. This type of statement makes the open source community sound immature and ingrate of the business word. Vista has many improvements over Windows XP and everyone should accept the fact that it is a better OS then Windows XP. The FSF should focus on what they can bring to the business world instead of the negative impacts Microsoft’s new OS has. The FSF’s statement sounds like a slanders Republican politician. Way to Go!
Sorry, but this is just rubbish.
Vista IS restrictive and also just another shiny peice of bloatware that should not exist.
Microsoft is in over their heads and they should just focus on fixing the problems they already have rather than creating another liability and general nuisance to the security of our computers and their users.
Is an “badvista activist” equally opposed to both side’s, NO so they are they choosing one side in particular, bias YES ?
Many activists distinguish between “badvista anti movements” and “peace freedom” movements.
Anti-something movements and pacifist movements are related, but are not one and the same, although members of anti-something campaigns often marshall pacifistic imagery and arguments. Pacifism is the belief that “conflict” is never acceptable, and that society should not be structured to maintain a stance of readiness to fight in a conflict (disarmament). While pacifists oppose all war without imposing (Peace Freedom rally), “anti-something” activists may seek only to get one side to withdraw.
Sorry but i really do not like what the FSF is doing.
FSF ship up or ship out.
this piece could use a little more thought i’d say. for example: surely any campaign like this requires looking at the negatives as well as the positives, an analysis of why the major closed source OS may not be benifiting you would seem a worthy point. also given that MS is by defealt the OS of choice for most targeting that would seem to be a good strategy for converting people, or at least expanding their thoughts on the matter. and thirdly given the argument that the time to create change in people’s usage would be easiest at a time when they are considering/forced to undergo change anyway - that is a vista upgrade - targeting that group seems sensible.
i see the writer’s point in the article, but unfortunately think that looking at it like this indicates the opposite.
Microsoft marketing strategy since dos and windows 3.0
“You cannot live without our product”.
“You are a primitive computer user without the latest operating system / software program in which popular profitable software market we are trying to dominate and overrun”.
It is amazing the amount of overkill.
Most computer users are doing very little than they could of done with an older version of software going back to the 1990’s with Windows 3.1 versions.
The only justification at current for Microsoft Vista /Longhorn use seems to be the pretty colors on the screen.
Most of these cannot live with software enhancements and utilites are available for older computers anyways as 3rd party products - many of these free like google’s picassa photo file search program.
Lol.
With new computers of course the opearting system licencing will make Vista the only reasonable practical choice for most computer manufacturers for computer OEM installation.
I agree it is stupid, but it seems to be how things go in the US (look at the US general elections).
Completely agree with Dougal.
I use FOSS products but FSF are bitches. I’ve posted few comments (with no profanity in them, also not attacking anybody) and all have been deleted. Just because I opposed to few points. I mean they are taking my freedom of speech!!!!!!!!!! DAMN BASTARDS.
They just don’t know how to behave (stupid monkeys) - on microsofts forums you can talk freely about linux and foss/gpl you can even attack their products (and many do that) and nobody will censure you - I don’t know why this damn liars have to censure people. Hate ‘em.
I couldn’t disagree more. Negative ad campaigns are a mainstream approach that is proven time and time again to be incredibly useful for gettin the message across.
If anything, open source companies sould be more aggressive as open source gains more speed. People respond to these ads.
You know like the same negative campaigns that Microsoft has been utilizing for almost thirty years now against open source. Because of Microsoft’s smack talk, most people think that linux is too hard to learn, even now. I should know I use the easiest distro out there(ubuntu), I get the same garbage from computer users about how “hard” linux is until I drag them to my house and show them how easy it is now.
You know it would be nice if open source could just quietly take over but it just lacks a certain grain of reality when thinking about it. It’s a pipe dream.
With the huge push towards open source, if it does go back down, it should go down kicking and screaming.
It seems to have nothing to do with ‘Open Source’. It’s about ‘Free Software’. From the perspective of the wish for freedom in the use of software Vista is a terrible thing.
‘Open Source’ Advocates probably don’t see the really issue with Vista because they don’t really mind losing some freedoms as long as they still get access to the source code.
Nobody in the Free Software Movement has a problem alienating himself from big business that looks up to Microsoft.
If you think that, you are mislead by ESR-type OpenSource Propaganda. The Free Software Movement never needed business to succeed and has so without them. This is, at best, a thought that has been injected back into our movement to confuse us.
If badvista was the only campaign that the FSF ever started, then yes, it might be a strange thing. But taking all the other efforts into concern, this will be one little piece that adds to the puzzle.
Everybody spending even some little time on looking into Free Software will have to notice the obvious benefits, be it technological or (grasp!) ideological.
Dougal: The last two sentences show how mislead you are. Spend some time figuring out where which developments came from and you will see that big business is not about innovation, but iteration. The real technology pushers are always somewhere else - its just that big business has figured out a way to fame itself with their work. I do dislike Microsoft, but not because they have some alleged dominance - they don’t - but because they trade real development for power. And even worse, they use this power again only for more power - the downward spiral of every monopoly. Just tell me where they have made some innovations lately, I guess you will find none.
The FSF is doing a really great job lately pushing their agenda the right way. Be it DefectiveByDesign or BadVista - the FSF shows that it knows how to grab the people by their most weak spots (the one they didn’t even know about) and show them what a better path could be. Its a tough issue, but we need their work.
> Instead of a negative attack they need to show people what open source can do.
It’s debatable, but they think Vista is a major threat to the usres’ freedoms. That indeed justify the attck.
> we need closed source etc. after all they are the ‘real’ technology pushers
That’s a questionable claim…
Richard Stallman is a nut-case, aside from that, he is right about his vision about the TPM (Trusted Platform Module), he calls it “Treacherous Computing”. And for example he mentions that future-emails will have certain rights, and the author, who may be your boss for example, may ask you to do something Illegal or you’re fired. When you’ll want to print or forward that email in order to use it as evidence, you wouldn’t be able to. Why? because you won’t have the proper rights to do that! and better yet, your boss will delete his email from *your* email account. That’s what treacherous computing is all about.
The campaign is not meant for the dumb user who sits at home and being turned on by Vista’s graphics. It is a call for those who are able to comprehend the implications of Vista when it is using the TPM.
Finally, I would say that I’m in favor of close source and patenting because that’s what moves the world forward. Money drives us.
Just my 2 cents
No, Microsoft is a big fat stinking pile of crap and anything that opens the lid on that is a good thing.
they will need to stop these types of negative campaigns.
When have they done negative campaigns? This is like saying if Microsoft is to be taken seriously they had better stop all of their negative PR.
Negative PR WORKS That’s why they do it.
Can we ever be free from the FSF and many of their followers to constantly bash Microsoft and Windows all over the Internet?
Give me THAT freedom please. Free as in a calm peace, not free as in beer.
I find the presumption false that the FSF makes that Windows (xp) is restrictive. I can do more in WinXP than Linux and even FreeBSD (I have all three installed on this machine). It all depends on what I want to do. I’m NOT a kernel hacker or a java programmer or a bash scripting guru!
I find Linux restrictive, very often. Nothing is perfect, not Windows, Linux or any other OS. Each has its strengths. For me Windows is a great OS.
This whole topic of bashing MS is mostly egoic madness. There’s something to be said about being cautious about MS Windows, sure. But it’s like people lose sleep over this and create an inner hell about it all. Let us have peace, especially this Christmas.
You’re right to call them on this. Stallman needs to calm the hell down. I have a tremendous amount of respect for the man, but he always seems to tarnish it greatly.
Absolutely right. Open source does NOT need to engage in a FUD war. The strategy should be a sort of “silent but deadly” approach, in which with quality, convenience, reliability, and value open source slowly but surely overtakes larger and larger percentages of user base. Of course, there is nothing wrong with advertising (in the non-annoying sense) the benefits of open source, but only with a calm, professional, and informative campaign can the community and its products be taken seriously and considered for wider acceptance. Making offensive bully-like comments hurts the credibility of the community. You do not see MS or other proprietary software companies posting comments like Linux is a “big stinking pile of crap” or the sort on their sites.
Well, I don’t really think the FSF gives much a care about the “business world”. There are those that suggest the business world drives technology and that’s really not true in a general sense.
I haven’t read any untruths on the badvista.org site. Given that, it’s perfectly acceptable to me. They have mobilized and sought to make people aware of the implications of using software that can adversely affect and limit their personal freedom.
“Well, I don’t really think the FSF gives much a care about the “business world”. There are those that suggest the business world drives technology and that’s really not true in a general sense.”
The business world does drive technology and if the FSF didn’t care about the business world, they would not even have a badvista campaign (which is designed to convince corporations to start using open source solutions).
“I haven’t read any untruths on the badvista.org site. Given that, it’s perfectly acceptable to me. They have mobilized and sought to make people aware of the implications of using software that can adversely affect and limit their personal freedom.”
This is fine, but without a good reason to start using open source solutions (and not just a reason to not use vista), businesses will stick with Microsoft. My whole point was that the FSF should only mention these thing along side what should be their main point: to use open source.
Get over the microsoft hating.
The biggest problems with open source is compatability and taking the leap.
The fact that allot of people will have driver problems will be a nightmare. Also, the average use only uses a computer for a number of things and doesnt actually care if they are restricted. Infact, it helps them in many ways so that they dont break the computer all of the time.
There are good things about open source, so dont get me wrong. However, the market is very different. who exactly is going to be reading these websites either? most people dont care what they use! Microsoft comes ‘free’ (or appears to) on computers so people dont even realise the costs!
They need a manufacture to realse quality - pre configured computers with good hardware. Thats the only way i can see any massive progress being made.
Other wise, whats the reason for the average user to stop using windows?
Dougal,
You make some very good points and I do agree with you.
I myself have had many compatibility issues with linux and certain wireless cards (with windows, I would just need to install the drivers). Until there is more wide-spread support with hardware manufacturers, I don’t think linux will have mass appeal.
On the other hand, Microsoft is making many mistakes with vista. One Specifically is the new user interface additions (I think they are calling it the ribbon interface). It is going to not only confuse many end users, but require companies to spend more money on training, which might keep them from upgrading.
Simply dont worry about it.
it is about time linux started to generate its own propaganda.
anyone with half a brain, knows how microsoft has been doing it for years, like mac aiming at the pc.
no big deal, we all know who the real big dog is.
now as you note your minor complaints of hardware support. the reason for that is buying the wrong hardware. not a linux issue. an issue with the hardware manufacturer if he would provide specs, his driver would be written for him.
as more and more solutions are developed honed and generally worked on all of the pieces will fall into place. it is happening at a much faster rate than I first thought it would.
“now as you note your minor complaints of hardware support. the reason for that is buying the wrong hardware. not a linux issue. an issue with the hardware manufacturer if he would provide specs, his driver would be written for him.”
This is not a minor issue. It is one of the major issues that is keeping linux from becoming mainstreamed. With windows, there is no “buying the wrong hardware”. You can pretty much buy any piece of hardware off the shelf, and it will have a working driver for windows.
Free Software =/= Open Source
FSF =/= OSI
GNU = Free Software
Linux = Open Source (mostly)
Stallman=/=Torvalds=/=Raymond
And to the poster above who suggested that “closed source” is the real technology pusher:
“The Internet? We are not interested in it” — Bill Gates, 1993
There is no reason anyone would want a computer in their home.
-Ken Olsen President, Chairman and founder of Digital, 1977
Also, just take a look around the technology landscape. Duh.
“Linux = Open Source (mostly)”
Last I checked, linux (including the kernel) was mostly made up of free software.
“And to the poster above who suggested that “closed source” is the real technology pusher:”
These quotes don’t invalidate the point that closed source pushes technology. They just show the naivety of the people that said them.
Bill gates also said that computers would not need more than 640KB of RAM.
The importance of this campaign is to show the hidden “features” of this new os which seriously limits the freedom of individual computer/internet user… this is not the same old linux vs windows story… most people must realize this
The only chance you have for mentioning to people the existence of free and open software is when they talk to you as a technician, looking for the reasons why they should upgrade to the latest and greatest Microsoft Product: should they do like everyone else already tells them to do and pull out the money or is there a better alternative?
Usually, that’s what they ask. That’s why they come to you. Because MS released Vista. Not because they needed something more than what they needed yesterday. Not because they like your hearing your geeky opinion any more than they liked to hear it yesterday.
You have the fine chance then to explain why you think something is better than something else. Or do you usually recommend stuff just because “it is the best” by itself?
If you think to Microsoft as an example of a successful business then you are already alienated enough, people coming and talking you showing ways of being more in control of what you do should be welcome.
But there is also a great percentage of businesses that fail, every day: if Bill Gates could afford the chance that his newly presented Product (win2k at the time) would crash during the world live premiere show, should you hate people who suggest that going down the same path may not lead to even comparable results?