[KLUG Advocacy] Will Malware Kill Windows?

[Adam Tauno Williams]

> >Here is an article from a guy who thinks it is malware that will drive
> >the masses to Linux.	
> Short answer: No.

My opinion as well.

> >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.

Yep.

> >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!

Interesting.

> >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. 

It seems this would open a real opportunity for fixed function consoles
that are just web/e-mail, etc... but yet these never seem to catch on.
Always seemed odd to me.

> 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. 

Sigh...  I see this allot as well.

> Overall, it may be easier for some to simply 
> stop using it than most anything else, or put up with the irritation..