Please learn the difference between a fact and an opinion. It is a fact that Windows is financed by selling a product, and it's finance is dependant on it's product being salable.

How many times other people have committed the same offense before doesn't change the fact that you are guilty of it, nor does it excuse you committing the same offense.

This is nothing to do with any "spin". The point is that your statement that "Linux was written for you [the user]" is somewhat at odds with the reality that most of it was in fact written by developers purely for their own needs, and not for the user at all.

So you ask for constructive commentary and then resort to using kiddy "LOL YOU NEVER GET OUT" type insults. Ok.

Just wondering, what kind of person is your original post "Ten reasons to upgrade to linux" targeted at?

A very good point - I'm afraid I am fallable too. I plead strong provocation and withdraw the comment. I should have said:

"That kind of thing is much more common than your statements would have it."

I was hoping it was aimed at people who already thought that linux was really cool and were interested in a different kind of argument. Sort of like an intellectual exersize, or a thought experiment. Perhaps I should have stuck that in the thread title vis: "Thought Experiment: Linux can beat Vista-hype on it's own terms?"

I was also hoping for interesting responses. I have received some too.

Pretty soon I'll have to abandon the experiment as "inconclusive".

Yea...but this doesnt make a difference to almost anyone over here.

But theres' one thing I would like to point out, though it has nothing to do with the thread topic.
People here using pirated MS Windows copies aren'nt necessarily poor...they just seem to think that putting in a months' salary to get an original copy of Windows isnt worth it, especially when even the neighbourhood cig shop owner will gladly give you a copy for Rs. 100 or less (Win Vista basic home edition without the Aero UI n stuff costs Rs. 8000 here). I had talked to a few ppl, and they dont know what it takes to write a good piece of software, or dont give a damn about it. They will gladly shell out Rs. 20K+ for the latest hardware, but wont buy an original copy of a game even.
Now I have no idea what M$ thinks about this, but sooner than later they will have to tighten the noose, considering the huge number of PCs using pirated Win copies. And Linux comes in over here...many of the distros are as good as Windows for most of the tasks...and it is free too.

And I don't expect it to :) that's why it is an intellectual exercise. Some people do this for fun: ever joined a debating society?

The exercise has some profit - for eg. some of my assumptions have been challenged - requiring me to rethink some of my ideas.

But you are talking about something else :)
Something that may make a difference would be to burn ans supply free software disks to the local cig shop operator. Produce one of OSS/FS windows apps and another of an easy to use disto you think fits the local mentality well. Suggest he gives them a go and point out that he is free to copy and sell as many as he likes.

Oh sure - same in NZ. But poverty is relative - what I mean is, if you don't have enough money to pay the damages, there's no point suing you.

This is why major distros (mostly) do not ship with proprietary format support, but you can install that support yourself. The companies doing the distributing are rich enough (or make a more profitable target in other ways) to be worth suing. An individual, by and large, isn't.

This is pretty much what got me into linux, so I can relate.Yes - I've noticed a recent upsurge in interest in linux from your neck of the woods. We had a similar surge from Brazil when MS tightened their noose over there. As the cost of vista hits home, we can expect more to "see the light".

MS views the practices you have related as "theft". Pure and simple. And you are right: sooner or later they will tighten the noose!