I found this long and interesting article by ‘tokyo linux usergroup’ on windows piracy, its effects to everyone. And why piracy influence the minor usage of linux on desktop. I’ve used Ubuntu before and still still using it as my ’surfing, email or leisure’ OS since Windows will remind me too much to do my work. (so im using 2 Oses). Heres a quickies of the article:
I’m not one for conspiracy theories, but the next logical question is, assuming I’ve made some sense up to now, isn’t it in ultimately in Microsoft’s interest to allow pirated copies of Windows to be out there?
The feasibility of that strategy would depend on how well Microsoft could balance out letting pirated copies exist for general use, so that people felt it was the operating system, while at the same time ensuring that a substantial section of the market, mainly companies probably, would not want to bother with any potential legal hassles.
Personally, I don’t think that is Microsoft’s strategy. It comes with some risks that I think they would deem too high. One leaked memo about acknowledging the benefit of pirated software would cause chaos in all sorts of ways.
But maybe they don’t have to have any kind of official position. If cracked software helps keep Windows in business, and virus threats are more effective than security measures in keeping cracked software from eating too much into Microsoft’s bottom line, then one might argue that the main mechanisms for Microsoft’s success come from outside Microsoft. Just enough piracy to maintain dominance. Just enough of a virus threat to keep it from getting out of control. That can’t be said with certainty, but it’s food for thought.
For the full article: http://tlug.jp/articles/Windows_Is_Free
