In an
article in the New York Times the Reverend Ken Hutcherson backs off from calling for a boycott of Microsoft because just the threat was enough to convince Microsoft to abandon support for a gay rights bill in the Washington legislature which Microsoft had supported for the last two years. The bill failed in the Senate by one vote.
That Reverend Hutcherson failed his parishoners by backing off the boycott when Microsoft caved, not that the boycott was ineffective, but because I don't think even his mega-cult deserves the bug ridden mess that is Microsoft Windows. Neither do you.
Long story short, anybody who uses the product of a company convicted of abusive monopoly practices, multiple patrent infringements, and repeated copyright violations supports, morally and financially, the keen business practices of the richest man in the world. Bill Gates is an unabashed Bush supporter, appearing periodically in the supporting backdrop at George W's events, both in the Distrct and Texas.
I would prefer that Microsoft had continued its support of gay rights and Reverend Hutcherson had gone ahead with the boycott (not that I don't support gay rights) because I'm getting tired of spam, and most spam originates from compromised Windows computers.
The competition is there, Microsoft told the court so, and Microsoft wouldn't lie in court, would they? Remeber the rigged demos in court? Ashcroft, of course, settled. Generously.
The easiest alternative to Microsoft is Apple. If your hardware is Windows compatable, I recommend a new distribution of Linux called
ubuntu, on which page there is a link to
shipit where one can request a set of two CDs to be shipped, free of charge, to you. One is a Live CD you can use to bvoot Linux without affecting your disk drive, the other is an install CD. These are availble for download, too. If you are running a Macintosh ot AMD64 work station , Ubuntu CDs are availale forthose platforns as well, either download or delivery, no charge, your choice.
This is my first diary, so it's polite to mention a bit about me. I' was registered Republican until I noticed the handbasket we were in, and suspected the direction we were being lead, so now I'm registered Green but more oten than not find the candidates I vote for are Democrats (Greens lacking candidates). Unfortunately, so are some of the candidates I vote against. Gore, Wyden and Kerry lost my vote because of their votes and continued support foor the Digital Millenium Copyright Act. Kerry's and Wyden's vote for and support of the war on Iraq and USA-PATRIOT solidified my opposition. Outside my votes for the Senate and President, my ballot is Democratic.
I need to get a job with a bit more time online to do this diary justice. Instead I drive a cab.