Bonum Certa Men Certa

Microsoft's Campaign to Force Everyone to Use Vista 10 Should Drive/Motivate Immediate Escape to GNU/Linux

"When it comes to software, I much prefer free software, because I have very seldom seen a program that has worked well enough for my needs, and having sources available can be a life-saver."

--Linus Torvalds



Linus Torvalds

Summary: Microsoft's push to impose malware on everybody and news about Windows virus infections in Australian healthcare ought to remind people that Microsoft's customer is the NSA, users are just products

WHILE the EPO protests go on (right at this moment) we wish to get out of the way some other important news. Microsoft's anti-choice campaign, for example, is now widely covered in the media. Richard Chirgwin from the British media wrote two days ago: "In a stunning example of consensus-building, Microsoft has somehow persuaded the big names of silicon that it would be better for all concerned if they quietly euthanize Windows 7 and 8.1.



"According to this report from today, about 15,000 people in the [Munich] administration now use GNU/Linux for everything as the migration is nearly complete (to the very last desktop).""Accordingly, Redmond, Intel, Qualcomm and AMD have occupied the same room without injury long enough to promise that future products like Kaby Lake (Intel), 8996 (Qualcomm) and Bristol Ridge (AMD) will not be sullied with Windows 7 or 8.1 code."

Given what we know about Vista 10 and given such arrogant denials of choice we urge everyone to seriously consider migrating to GNU/Linux. It has worked well for Munich. According to this report from today, about 15,000 people in the administration now use GNU/Linux for everything as the migration is nearly complete (to the very last desktop). Microsoft's strong relationship with the NSA makes this a matter of national security, more so with Vista 10 (which is a keylogger, like PCs at the EPO in Munich).

"Vista 10 would only make such things worse, not better.""Similarly," Michael Justin Allen Sexton wrote about hardware-driven pressure to 'upgrade', "Windows 7, 8, 8.1 and Windows 10 all received updates related to Intel’s new Skylake processors, but when Skylake’s successor, Kaby Lake, and AMD’s Bristol Ridge processors are released, Microsoft will update only Windows 10 to support them. If you are still using an older Windows OS, you might be able to use these processors, too, but you may encounter instability, increased power draw, and lower performance relative to Windows 10."

Incidentally, see what has just happened in Australia due to dependence on Windows in a hospital [1-3]. Vista 10 would only make such things worse, not better. It's designed for "national security" (i.e. back doors and real-time surveillance), not for security.

Related/contextual items from the news:



  1. Royal Melbourne Hospital hit by Windows XP virus


    Work at the pathology department of the Royal Melbourne Hospital has been hit for several days by a virus which has infected computers running Microsoft's Windows XP operating system.

    The processing of blood, tissue and urine samples has been done manually due to the infection, causing massive delays, according to reports on a number of websites, with The Age leading the way.

    These reports were confirmed by the hospital when it issued a terse media release on Tuesday afternoon.


  2. Royal Melbourne Hospital attacked by damaging computer virus
    A virus has attacked the computer system of one of Melbourne's largest hospital networks, causing chaos for staff and patients who may face delays as a result.

    Staff at Melbourne Health - the network which runs the Royal Melbourne Hospital - are urgently trying to repair damage to its IT system after a virus infected Windows XP computers.

    An email sent to staff today said the virus had hit Melbourne Health's pathology department, causing staff to manually process specimens such as blood, tissue and urine samples instead of computers aiding the registration, testing and entry of results.


  3. Windows XP Computers Cause Havoc In Hospital After Getting Virus Infection
    Royal Melbourne Hospital in Australia was still running Windows XP and little did they know about the upcoming havoc that was going to haunt them forever. The virus which hit the Windows XP machines almost crept down the entire hospital and its different departments. However, to make things look normal, the hospital kept on claiming that everything was almost under control now, and the IT team was working day and night to get rid of the virus.




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