SPUG:Microsoft: Open source threatens our business model

[Chuck Langenberg]

> Now, as far as the argument "Microsoft makes money now, so any
> other business model is wrong" -- this is obviously absurd.
  
It's not what I want -- it's what I don't want -- and I don't want
to be insulted. It really annoys me when MS tells half a story and
infers that I'm only interested in saving money. They conveniently
omit the other part of the story...
  
I was very happy to pay them for every release of their software.
But then they demanded that I register Windows XP & Office XP. To
police me, they disable these programs after 50 times unless I
consent to their bully tactics & register via phone or Internet.
  
But I did not give in. I loaded Linux and www.OpenOffice.Org on that
PC. And I use www.OpenOffice.Org every day on my Windows PC (which
reads and writes Office 95/97/2000 files). MS won't be getting
anymore money out of me, as I proceed to phase them out.
  
Honest, I wasn't out looking for free software. But I feel like MS
drove me away with a stick. They gave me an ultimatum -- and I gave
them the finger.
  
My solution is to NOT pay for any software, from anybody, anymore.
Not because I'm trying to save money. But because free software is
the only kind that doesn't screw with me.
  
Chuck Langenberg