01.14.20
Vista 7 is Dead, Long Live GNU/Linux
Summary: A reminder of Microsoft’s universal “PC tax” ambitions — evidence that the company was never interested in ‘playing nice’ with anybody
01.05.20
Windows User Retention Policy
Microsoft wants you to be using Windows always, even when you think you use ‘Linux’
Summary: There’s always a way! Microsoft will deny people the ability to explore ‘proper’ GNU/Linux whilst insisting that it “loves Linux”
12.31.19
Why Large Nations Like China and Russia Will Gradually Move to GNU/Linux
Sunday’s news report suggests that China proceeds with its GNU/Linux migration
Summary: Microsoft Windows is an imperialistic operating system (or bootable malware) and it is therefore imperative for nations that pursue real sovereignty to wean themselves off it altogether
IN a recent public talk of Richard Stallman he succinctly explained in very clear terms that many people are led to assume that they give instructions to computers they use. They think they’re actually the owners of these computers, whereas the topology is all ‘in reverse’; in practice, owing to the way software was coded or hard-coded, the real owner is the company behind the software and instructions are transmitted to the computers by this company instead of the user. To them, the user is just something to be exploited, ‘monetised’ (when the user is spied on there’s data to be sold, as we noted yesterday in relation to Phoronix). Windows, for example, is designed for data-mining and therefore — by its very design — it’s optimises for insecurity (remote access, harvesting) rather than security. Windows will never be secure because it’s not supposed to be. Those who think that Windows can be made secure evidently fail to grasp what Windows actually is and who it works for.
In countries that wish to control their computing — including their servers — Free software is imperative. Thankfully we’ve been seeing policies implemented by large governments in recent years that will bring rise to GNU/Linux use, even on desktops and laptops. █
“I don’t want a back door. I want a front door.” — Director of the National Security Agency (NSA), 2015
12.16.19
When You Cannot Convert GNU/Linux Into Windows (Mono, DLL Files Etc.) You May Try to Make It Subservient to Windows (Vista 10 and WSL)
Summary: Microsoft needs people outside Microsoft to promote WSL; some of them have already entered GNU/Linux companies
THIS may not be very publicly visible (except to those who read our IRC logs, which are public), but we’ve been researching what drives WSL development and who takes the lead.
“There’s absolutely no practical reason to use WSL; it’s a lot easier and technically far better to get something like VirtualBox, which is also Free software, then install under it one’s distribution of choice.”Isn’t it curious that lawyers rather than geeks are in charge? Earlier this month we took note of their support for USPTO-granted software patents (despite 35 U.S.C. § 101) that Microsoft still uses against GNU/Linux, even this year.
We are still drilling and digging. Many parallels can be found between the people who promoted Mono inside GNU/Linux and are now Microsoft employees (they weren’t at the time).
There’s absolutely no practical reason to use WSL; it’s a lot easier and technically far better to get something like VirtualBox, which is also Free software, then install under it one’s distribution of choice. But WSL is a lot easier for Microsoft to spy on, remotely break/brick and add Windows-only “extensions” to (the second “E” in EEE). It doesn’t take a genius to foresee what Microsoft will seek to accomplish with WSL and one only needs to assess the background of those who promote it. They’re not GNU/Linux people but Microsoft/Windows people. They view GNU/Linux as something to merely be exploited.
“…Kirkland left after 10 years; hard to imagine he was proud to have turned Ubuntu into an ‘app’ for spyware disguised as an operating system with obligatory ads.”Months ago Will Cooke stepped down As Canonical’s Ubuntu Desktop Director (Rick Spencer, head of Ubuntu’s desktop a decade ago, had come from Microsoft) and Canonical also lost the person who initially announced WSL (on behalf of Canonical), Dustin Kirkland. He now works for Apex Clearing, having left his position at Canonical (Product Manager or VP Product).
“After 7+ years at IBM,” he once explained, “I joined Canonical in (February 2008)…”
So Mr. Kirkland left after 10 years; hard to imagine he was proud to have turned Ubuntu into an ‘app’ for spyware disguised as an operating system with obligatory ads.
All in all, there are many warning signs ‘in the air’ and while our investigation continues we’ll refrain from saying anything we cannot verify (at least not yet). Remember this: WSL is not good for GNU/Linux. WSL is good for Microsoft. WSL is promoted not by GNU/Linux people but by Microsoft proponents. Just like Mono was… █
“I saw that internally inside Microsoft many times when I was told to stay away from supporting Mono in public. They reserve the right to sue”
11.30.19
Windows (Vista 10) is Nowadays Being Sold as ‘Linux’
Summary: The tactic is working; over the course of Thanksgiving many sites that claim to be about GNU/Linux relayed Windows news, instead
10.05.19
The Slow Death of Technical Media
Summary: Those who work for corporate publishers, e.g. SJVN (Vaughan-Nichols) and Swapnil, aren’t loyal to facts as much as they’re loyal to their employers, very rich and well-connected people with an agenda deeply hostile towards Software Freedom
WE ARE still trying to get to grips with IRC logs (now published, as over a decade back, every day) because full transparency is important and we’re still seeing some new misleading articles about Richard Stallman, or RMS for short (see the bottom of the updates here; there are now over 20,000 views on this long page which documents the removal of RMS by dishonest ‘journalism’). This entire sad episode demonstrated the power of rogue ‘journalism’; so-called ‘journalism’ that doesn’t get even the most basic facts right (probably by intention, for agenda). Look what media did to Linus Torvalds last year and to RMS this year. In the name of “protecting women”… (corporate power was best served by the marginalisation of both men).
“Look what media did to Linus Torvalds last year and to RMS this year.”It should be noted that ZDNet also joined the defamation frenzy (slander of RMS); Vaughan-Nichols, who is associated with the Linux Foundation, did that too. We’ll remember that and we took note because nowadays he also spreads Microsoft talking points. There’s a whole bunch of them who work as corporate messengers disguised as ‘journalists’; Swapnil (in the above photo) told me he’s a ‘journalist’, but his site is littered with paid-for spam (ads disguised as articles). It’s a dumping site. It’s horrible.
We’ve become more or less accustomed to intentionally-dishonest media when covering the European Patent Office (EPO); António Campinos and Battistelli literally bribe the media for favourable coverage, just like Microsoft does. They just disguise the bribes as “business transactions”…
“So we’re left with spam or PR and charlatans who pretend to know what they cover.”This is all rather sad. Very sad. Journalism is dying a slow death. Technical journalism may be already dead (for years); technical people see no money in it, so they move elsewhere or start selling "tweets" for Jim Zemlin, a marketing person, to rake in millions of dollars in salaries, riding the coattails of Torvalds or his trademark. So we’re left with spam or PR and charlatans who pretend to know what they cover. Or pretend to be ‘journalists’ when all they really are (or have become) is glorified PR people. Look at yesterday’s news for example; earlier in the week Microsoft googlebombed “Linux” and “Android” to basically push a new Microsoft product and on Friday we saw “Windows Is No Longer ‘The Most Important Layer’ at Microsoft” (there was similarly poor ‘reporting’ and it’s really bad so links are omitted). Windows is doomed, so Microsoft pretends it’s a good thing and it’s googlebombing the opposition's name (Linux.com is sometimes more about Microsoft than about Linux, thanks to Swapnil). Microsoft ‘supports’ Linux like it ‘supports’ ODF (the OpenDocument Format). It’s all about themselves. It’s about monopoly and control.
Readers can feel or say whatever they want about Phoronix but it’s one of the last remaining sites that do technical journalism (it’s not perfect, but usually it’s OK and the sole author is technical).
“Who’s going to sue? Certainly not the Linux Foundation, which is too busy badmouthing the GPL.”Going back to ZDNet, not only does the site repeat Microsoft propaganda; it also habitually lies about security of GNU/Linux and there are debunkings that show/prove these to be fabrications. Who’s going to sue? Certainly not the Linux Foundation, which is too busy badmouthing the GPL. Yes, they even badmouth the licence of Linux itself. They don’t care about Linux; they just use the name to sell their services.
Larry Dignan, who manages ZDNet, has killed the site’s integrity; not that it ever had much to begin with. He turned it into a Microsoft-leaning tabloid that slanders GNU/Linux, misleads on Free software, and uncritically parrots Microsoft talking points, including “Microsoft loves Linux”. The parent company, CBS, should assess whether it wants a news site or propaganda channel. It should be noted that Larry Dignan also fired FOSS writers (the sole author of what used to be their “Open Source” section). The site then hired from Microsoft, even current employees of the company. There’s no ethics there at all. Yesterday they ended up putting pure Vista 10 ‘spam’ (marketing/promotional articles) in the Open Source and Linux RSS feed! Zero relevance to either of those things. Corrupt sites die when things like these are being noticed and this was not the first time; they did it several times recently. They actually misuse the Linux and Open Source sections to intentionally misfile Microsoft spam.
ZDNet isn’t alone in this; CNET (also a CBS site) does the same thing and notice how corporate media (a CBS site in this new example/case) gives disproportionate coverage to Microsoft filesystems in Linux rather than proper, native, patent restrictions-free ones.
“When we speak of Microsoft ads/marketing budget we basically speak of bribery budget for media/news sites.”Suffice to say, this corruption is very much paid for. It’s the business model. Those who don’t “play ball” get fired (or get no further assignments). When we speak of Microsoft ads/marketing budget we basically speak of bribery budget for media/news sites. Bill Gates does the same through his fake ‘charity’. That helps reduce criticism of his bad deeds (e.g. his recently-disclosed links to sexual predation of children).
“The Microsoft Register,” as our reader called it, is also part of the problem. “Is there a contest as to how not to mention Malware in relation to Microsoft Windows,” a reader asked. “See this Register story [by Shaun Nichols in San Francisco] for an example. I would post a retraction except my posts get permanently stuck in moderation. Same with the Microsoft Slashdot and the Microsoft ZDNet.
“Must be the “advertising” money, you should do a story on it.”
“If there’s “no money” in telling the truth and all the money comes from telling lies, then we’re in a very bad situation.”Why does The Register not mention that this is a Microsoft Windows problem? And more importantly, is The Register now censoring comments to defend Microsoft from its critics?
An associate of ours noted this morning: “I used to be an avid fan [of The Register] until around 2003 or early 2004 when they made a small, quiet announcement about joining Microsoft. I wish I had kept the link. Their content turned to shit within a week and a half. I probably haven’t linked to them since (in any context) and very, very rarely even look at the headlines let alone the first paragraph or two so I am wondering if anything had improved there. I guess not.”
If there’s “no money” in telling the truth and all the money comes from telling lies, then we’re in a very bad situation. Phoronix has been begging for membership money (readers’ financial help) lately; such a shame that a very hard-working person (maybe 100+ hours per week) has to resort to that. █
09.28.19
No, GNU/Linux Does Not Need Proprietary Software From Microsoft
Weeks ago: Microsoft’s Plan for Linux is to Make it Proprietary Software With ‘Surveillance Capitalism’
Summary: People don’t escape Microsoft Windows to just get more of Microsoft; but media close to Microsoft leverages the “Linux” brand to promote Microsoft
JUST over a fortnight ago Microsoft bombarded the word “Linux” to promote proprietary software that spies on people. It was vapourware of course and Microsoft seems to be doing that again; back then it was Teams, now it’s Edge. We’ve sadly seen not just Microsoft-friendly sites like Neowin [1] playing ball but also “OMG Ubuntu” [2] and longtime Microsoft propagandist (and liar) Bogdan Popa at Softpedia [3]. Microsoft apparently thinks GNU/Linux users will volunteer to test proprietary software of Microsoft. These people are either dreaming or lying (they often do; they also paste the lie “Microsoft loves Linux” habitually). An anti-Linux trolling site [4] soon joined in.
“Microsoft apparently thinks GNU/Linux users will volunteer to test proprietary software of Microsoft.”Phoronix and few other sites [5] later promoted some PowerShell nonsense (in relation to “Linux”). When the media speaks of “command line interface” [6] it now means Windows only.
Why are some so-called ‘Linux’ sites celebrating the mere possibility of proprietary software from Microsoft (based on Free software which is already better) coming to GNU/Linux? Why would any GNU/Linux user choose Edge over Chromium, for example? It seems like Microsoft googlebombing and brand dilution. Search for “Linux” news, get Microsoft news instead. █
Related/contextual items from the news:
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Microsoft is trying to bring the Chromium-based Edge to Linux
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Microsoft Edge for Linux Just Got a Lot More Likely
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Microsoft Wants to Launch Chromium Edge Browser on Linux, And It Needs Your Help
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Microsoft Wants Your Feedback on the Edge Browser for Linux
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Microsoft Developer Shows Linux Commands Seamlessly Integrated Within Windows PowerShell
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Take command of your computer with a command line interface
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