Microsoft: Criminal Company. No Longer Welcome.

Microsoft must be stopped. If not stopped, slowed substantially. The company is a bully. The protests now are loud and clear: “Microsoft! Change Your Ways.”

Why? Standards. Or, rather, Microsoft’s inability to adhere to standards developed by world bodies, committees, and groups which benefit customers and competitors.

Since Microsoft owns approximately 90-percent of the desktop computing world, it could be argued that they set the standards, not others. Yet, the worldwide community of standards bodies will disagree.

That’s why there are basic standards for data sharing, standards for Internet protocol, standards for web page code, and so on. To provide for effective, efficient communications standards that the world agrees upon. Microsoft flouts those standards.

How? For many years the Redmond software giant, convicted in court of monopoly abuse of competitors and vendors (partners), has used an effective tactic against standards not developed by Microsoft. Example? The so-called Triple E tactic.

Embrace. Extend. Exterminate.

That means that Microsoft initially embraces various standards in existence and incorporates such into their products. Immediately, Microsoft then seeks to extend those standards.

They ‘extend’ not by adding to the knowledge and capability of the standard itself, but by adding proprietary ‘extensions’ of their own; extensions, features that work only on Microsoft products, for example, a web display feature that only works on Microsoft’s browser, Internet Explorer.

Meanwhile, Microsoft then provides only limited ongoing support to world body standards that were initially embraced (lack of support for XHTML and CSS are prime examples, as is the recent furor over RSS standards.).

Because Microsoft products, Internet Explorer being a prime example, are on the desktops of nearly 90-percent of the world’s personal computers, the Triple E tactic effectively exterminates the original standard.

Why? The inability of such extensions to work in a compatible manner with various standards requires the rest of the world to adopt Microsoft’s proprietary standards, thereby locking users, particularly Internet users, into Microsoft products.

Monopoly control is extended.

In the past few years there has been a growing trend toward adherence to such standards and a growing chorus of disgust of Microsoft’s blatant attempts to control all standards.

That, combined with Microsoft’s tremendously public and expensive security problems in Windows and Internet Explorer have forced computer users and companies to look for alternatives.

The popularity of the Firefox browser is one such example. Firefox adheres faithfully to XHTML and CSS standards (only one example of Microsoft’s abuse of standards), is more secure than Internet Explorer, is fast, attractive, and—Free!

Other alternatives to the Microsoft monopoly abuse include Linux, both as servers and desktop computers, and Apple with Mac OS X and the Safari browser.

Cracks in the Microsoft monopoly ship have begun to appear. Only when computer users take action and raise up a unified, loud voice will businesses, governments, standards bodies, and users be able to rid themselves of the software Goliath’s abusive practices.

Obviously, we strongly recommend that Microsoft computer users seek alternatives. There are many, including Macs and Linux. We also encourage computer users to stop using Microsoft’s bug-ridden and insecure Internet Explorer web browser.

Throwing off the shackles of Microsoft’s domination of your computing experience will result in fewer security fears, fewer ‘BSOD’ experiences (blue screen of death), almost no spyware, trojan horses, or viruses.

While we can’t wear black arm bands that protest Microsoft to the rest of the world (we’re too fashion conscious for ‘black’), we can still protest, hence the new ‘badge’ on the Mac360 home page.

We know that many Mac users are forced to use Windows and Internet Explorer at work. We empathize with your sad plight and encourage you to make your voice heard.

Microsoft, you must be stopped. If not stopped, slowed substantially. As a company, you are a bully. The protests worldwide now are loud and clear: “Microsoft! Change Your Ways.”