Software does,in fact, mow your lawn for free.
In an age of highly documented cases of “Digital Rights Management” and”Intellectual Property Rights” its interesting that none of these things actually exists.
Its one thing when your wife says “Honey the grass is getting tall” to go to Walmart and “buy” (did I say that?) a weedwacker or a lawn mower and do the dirty deed.
But then, if your lucky and (you’re in software?) there’s a truck going down the street with “Aguilar Landscaper” written on the side. YES!!! You’re new found friend doesn’t speak English very well but you are stunned and amazed at his offer 50 bucks…for the whole month.
Its like getting your lawn mowed for free. But its NOT free its just a “good deal” you think.
Now, let’s think about that.
We’ll agree a lot of laws were broken to mow your lawn.
So, we agree that to get your lawn mowed on the cheap by a group of 5 migrant laborers who have no rights to compensation under the labor laws of the United States and broke the law to be here in the first place, that some laws were definitely broken.
=====
Now, it just so happens that you are ALSO lets say Netscape (Firefox), and you HAVE to give your product away and make money off of ads and pay your programmers crap (HUH?) RETRACTION NOT PAY YOUR DEVELOPERS AT ALL to beat MS who spent millions and who’s IE team had 75 babies during the development of the IE browser (all of who can now afford college) and drive Volvo station wagons and own homes.
So, If I opened a factory tomorrow and gave 1 ton of steel away on the open market… I would be locked up by the US govt.
But MS uses anticompetitive tactics on the rest of the industry, and the rest of the industry decides to GIVE IN to the idea that software is effectively worth NOTHING by fighting fire with fire to OUT DUMP MS by putting as much free stuff on the market as possible.
The new pirates are the ones that insist that software is worth nothing. Piracy was a lot more cost effective.
October 23, 2006 at 5:30 am
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October 23, 2006 at 4:14 pm
I can admire your passion here, bud! I tell ya’: I agree with some of the points you make but allow me to share a few words of advice… While you make some very valid points, your emotional discharge only gives people ammo when trying to discredit your argument. Surely, your POV will remain the same but, if you are looking to open up the eyes of those that may not explore alternatives, you may scare them off with the apparently anti-Microsoft, anti-establishment views.
That being said, I have to say that the growing trends in both software development and IT are sickening. I think it’s clear to see why IT professionals and software developers alike are seeking new means of income. For software developers, the “productivity” arena is just not as viable as it once was unless your company name happens to be Adobe, Apple, or Microsoft. Solutions are being strong-armed every day by companies that have the bottomless pits to make themselves seem like the only kid on the block, or at least scaring away/buying out competition.
Heck, I know that many programmers have ventured on to more fun, profitable projects such as game development, Internet marketing, or web site design. It’s sad that a lot of developers are working on projects for little or no monetary gain, simply because they are battling for market share but, truth be told, there is plenty of opportunity out there if people target specific markets rather than try to take over the world.
Like I mentioned already, there are lots of scary trends that provide indicators for the industry as a whole. Look at all the outsourcing and jobs sent overseas. Many talented people are out of work because they have been replaced by ten people for much less than they made by themselves. Sometimes, the work is higher quality but other times it is not. The fact of the matter is that IT and programming/development alike are considered cost centers so people will continue to cut corners. This gives the large corporations more leverage to manipulate the market as they wish.
Now, everyone is quick to point fingers at Microsoft and, surely, Bill Gates is not a man to admire unless you take to thieving well.. But let’s not forget that Apple hasn’t exactly been an angel, either. While M$ is out-right strong-arming things, Apple is being under-handed by selling lies such as “Macs do not get viruses” (I have some clients that would beg to differe there). Companies that use marketing positions that are absolute are almost always full of crap.
No one can promise being the best, cheapest, or fastest. Folks need to quantify more and give their customers real assurances. For example, Microsoft can start by giving their products a longer life cycle. There’s no need for Vista now, at least not this soon. If XP was so horrible, people wouldn’t be upgrading to it even as we speak. Perhaps Windows needs a recore but such things take time. They need to focus on their R&D rather than try to force new standards onto everyone.
Someone mentioned in another discussion how Microsoft is losing money on XBox 360 sales and software piracy. Now now… Let’s be honest here: the brunt of the money they make on the software side comes from businesses and they can’t afford to pirate the software. Businesses can pay these lofty software prices so little Johnny Boy at home is hardly a concern. In regards to the hardware sales, it is almost always assumed that there is a marginal gain or loss per unit sold when you’re in hardware sales. The reason for this is because you hope that it becomes a gateway for greater service and software sales.
More specifically, when one considers gaming consoles, a major portion of the pricing can be attributed to the marketing, the packaging, and not the actual electronic and mechanical components. This is why we see advertisements in even console games now. Companies are trying so hard to make sweeping PR moves that, in the end, all they’re doing is increasing costs and passing on the buck to the consumer.
Welcome to capitalism. ;o)
October 23, 2006 at 7:05 pm
Interesting. It still does not in any way explain to me why I should not buy Vista, other than to suggest that you think Microsoft sucks, not necessarily because of their software, but because of their marketing.
Sorry but I am not at all convinced. I for one am looking forward to using it.
Let me ask you this: do you apply the same type of philosophy that you to toward Microsoft, to other companies as well?
And how can we say that Microsoft is a monopoly, when most of those who hate Microsoft are obviously not using their products, and therefore, using something else instead?
I just do not understand why anti-Microsoft people cannot just be content with using OSX or one of the open-source alternatives. In other words, why make a big fuss about it? Obviously someone likes Microsoft, and it isn’t just dumb computer illiterate people. Since there is a market for this software that MS develops, there is a reason and a demand to sell it.
Myself, I like to use whatever I have available and not be so close minded, that I refuse to use something, because of whomever is getting paid for me to use it. Who cares?
October 24, 2006 at 9:11 am
Ever think of seeing a psychologist? You’re perception of the world vaguely resembles something of drunk homeless people wandering New York City.
October 24, 2006 at 6:02 pm
Mozilla made $72 million from Firefox:
http://www.technoogle.com/?p=408
November 16, 2006 at 11:46 pm
I’m with Brent on this one. I think people just blindly throw their hate towards Microsoft but they’re not the only evil corporation out there. In fact, the anti-thesis to M$, Apple, suffers from a lot of the same fundamental ethical quirks. These folks are out to make a buck, there’s no doubt about it, but we still have a choice to use alternatives. No one can force us to upgrade if what we have NOW does the job.
On another note, piracy is actually great for a developer and I’ll tell you why: the people that pirate software more than likely would have never bought your software IF they had the money. You’re not losing money. In fact, you are getting free marketing because every person that enjoys your product, legally or not, is basically giving you some good publicity. Surely, there should be measures to make it difficult for people to pirate software but these huge companies are hardly hurting from it.
Personally, anything I use for production/business purposes, I register even if I use a pirated version until the investment is justified. Most of the time, pirated apps hardly get any use unless it’s a video game or something. People that are using productivity apps for profitable processes should know better than to profit… But that’s a whole other discussion!
Anywho, my posts here are exceeding everyone else’s put together soooo… I’ll end my thoughts there. Just remember: enjoy a milk shake and the world will always be much more tolerable afterwards. Just make sure that the milk shake is laced with your favorite drugs of choice. J/K!
BTW, drunk homeless people are fun – no home should be without one! ;o)
December 21, 2006 at 4:45 pm
I refuse to learn more as my brain is just melting. I am looking forward to the holidays ending this year. Seems outr industry has slowed a lot this year.
March 20, 2007 at 9:35 pm
nuts moldova
March 20, 2007 at 10:55 pm
I’m just trying to understand why you see someone who is trying to make a buck, as a bad thing. Are you not also trying to make bucks?
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June 19, 2008 at 9:01 am
Somehow i missed the point. Probably lost in translation
Anyway … nice blog to visit.
cheers, Burrower.