[KLUG Advocacy] Will Malware Kill Windows?

[Robert G. Brown]

On Thu, 05 Jan 2006 22:07:48 -0500, Adam Tauno Williams <awilliam at whitemice.org> wrote:

>Here is an article from a guy who thinks it is malware that will drive
>the masses to Linux.	

Short answer: No.

>http://allyourtech.com/content/news/05_01_2006_the_windows_wmf_exploit_could_be_the_last_wake_up_call_microsoft_and_others_get.php

The presumption that he makes is that the masses are actually using their
computers for stuff they can't live without. I'm not convinced this is so. 
The great majority of people use their PC's as a form of recreation, and
when they break it is a source of irritation for a while, but then they move 
on to other things.

>Personally I don't have much hope from getting the masses of Windows;
>but I am getting *LOTS* of agony vibes from my users who have computers
>at home.  Lately I can't walk into the lunch room to reheat my coffee
>without someone telling my how their home computer is trashed...

>Is it really that bad out there?   

Yes, seems so!

>Of course the hard core Open Source advocates are going to do advocacy
>with whatever club they can find;....

>I'm curious about a non-pundit "yes, I am a
>intelligent but non-uber-techy person who uses Windows in a normal
>(unshielded by corporate powers) environment" opinions
I'm thinking a lot of 'em give it up eventually, and move on. Rarely is
there a clear-headed resopnse to all this... true of a lot of small businesese,
too. I'm repeatedly asked to "just make it all goaway". When I point out that 
the answer is to alter a few habits, or possibly invest a little time and 
money, people simply don't act. Overall, it may be easier for some to simply 
stop using it than most anything else, or put up with the irritation..

							Regards,
							---> RGB <---