THANK YOU MICROSOFT for a great anti-spyware program!! It
should be FREE FOREVER, and here's why.
Let's look at the history of Windows for just a second:
1) For years and years, Microsoft has sold Windows
software with enormous security problems imbedded right
into the binary code;
2) After years and years of customer complaints, and
billions of dollars in lost productivity, Microsoft
finally responds to its customers needs and offers an anti-
spyware solution to one of the many problems caused by lax
security in the Windows software;
3) Now Microsoft will decide if they will charge a fee for
the anti-spyware solution which fixes only one of the many
lax security issues that exist in their product, even
though there are several free programs available which
also fix the problem.
To summarize, Microsoft created an enormous problem, and
they may charge a fee to fix the problem that they
created.
I cannot think of any other major company that has ever
been so un-responsive to a huge problem with their
product. I am STUNNED by the SHEER ARROGANCE of
Microsoft's position in saying that they haven't decided
if they will charge a fee to fix just one of the many
problems that they designed into their software. (That's
like Ford charging a fee to replace the bad tires which
were the subject of a huge recall campaign on the Ford
Explorer).
The Microsoft anti-spyware strategy states the
following: "Spyware has risen to the top of many PC users'
lists as one of the most vexing challenges they face
today" -- Personally, I CAN'T BELIEVE that this statement
implies that spyware has just become a problem "TODAY."
Where has Microsoft been for the last 5-10 years? If
Microsoft wants to charge a fee for the anti-spyware
program, they should FIRST OFFER A REBATE TO ALL THE
CUSTOMERS AND CORPORATIONS WHO BOUGHT WINDOWS and then had
to suffer through all the headaches, hassles, and down
time caused by the lax security features designed right
into the Windows software code. Microsoft should offer
that rebate as a partial reimbursement for billions of
dollars in lost corporate productivity, and the billions
of dollars that customers had to spend on anti-virus
software, firewalls, and anti-spyware solutions. To me,
the lax security in Windows software is a litigious
issue.
Consider the IMPLIED WARRANTY OF MERCHANTABILITY in the
Uniform Commercial Code (UCC), which states in essence
that the seller promises that the product offered for sale
will do what it's supposed to do.
Does Windows actually do what it's supposed to do, or what
it's advertised to do? Or do we have to keep upgrading,
and patching all the security holes for entire life-cycle
of the product, and quietly enduring (with no complaints)
the billions of dollars in downtime, and lost productivity
whenever some punk-kid, computer hacker with half a brain
launches the next internet virus or computer worm?
Somewhere in the UCC there is also an implied warranty of
fitness for a particular use. Is Windows really usable
with imbedded viruses, worms, Trojan Horses, mal-ware,
spam, pop-ups, and junk mail hanging all over it?
Personally, I think that Microsoft should make Windows
scalable. In other words, why not offer a stripped-down
version of Windows for the masses who are concerned about
security. The masses do not need any of the advanced
features of Windows that cause the majority of problems.
I am a home user, and I don't need Messenger, Chat,
Netmeeting, NETBIOS, activescipts, file and print sharing,
NETWARE, etc, etc, etc. I don't really want to edit even
one of the thousands of lines in my registry, and I am
downright dangerous with a command line, and I don't
really care what services are running as long as my
computer zips right along.
Take away Internet Explorer and Media player, and give us
what we really need: ironclad anti-virus and spyware
programs with free updates so we won't hurt ourselves
while playing on the Internet!! Strip down Internet
Explorer, and make it more secure al la Firefox. And
throw in some new solutions for junk mail and spam just to
say thank you to billions of loyal customers. Thanks
again Microsoft for a great anti-spyware program. It's
only about 5 years late, so why not make it FREE FOREVER.
