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As I was talking with a good friend of mine, that I have known for so many years, she reminded me even if indirectly of the idea that to many still use Windows in Philippines, and other third world countries, partly because Microsoft was so happy to offer them a free version because they were third world, and at first it seemed a great act of charity. Once I started thinking about it though, really what Microsoft was doing is setting in place, the idea that Microsoft is the only Operating System. Which of course we who are in the states, are aware is not at all true though that is the truth Microsoft presents to the seeing eye of the public. The monopoly that was supposed to be long ago broken up, had already put a solid foothold in the market. The difference is that in time, Microsoft became to comfortable in fact they started becoming lackadaisical in updating there Operating System, as they thought theres was the only Operating System in the market so why not just update every now and again, once in awhile. In that decision, one of the worst ever made, hackers started realizing that this Operating System that has ended up on far to many systems, stopped putting focus on security, and since every was using Windows at the time became the perfect target, and so begin the spread of viruses, simple ones at first that over time became far more advanced. It took awhile for the Microsoft folks to catch up and in that time there system was compromised many times over, as a result once it became clear that these viruses, the kiddy coding things were quite able to do more destruction then imagined, a new industry was born, the Anti-Virus/Anti-Spyware folks, like Norton and others who suddenly realized hey we have all these people with thes insecure systems let us step it up and turn a profit on the futility of Microsoft lackluster interest. And that was the start of this insane industry today. So what was Microsoft going to do, after people started realizing they stopped caring and put the end user at risk?
First they started putting updates out a bit more often, though still far behind the needs of the times, as new viruses and spyware were being created and put out onto this worldwide web who used Internet Explorer on a windows pc every single day. They still did not put the level of focus on security but instead kept lining there pockets with more green paper at least until people started realizing, this Microsoft is a monopoly, they do not care about the end user as much as they should and it is about time to put competition back into the mix and so begin the first case of this Monolith Monopoly that was Microsoft that over the years and processions finally came to a point of change, in the sense that instead of being the monopoly it was Microsoft had to stop limiting competing programs and operating systems by integrating their browser with windows. Also it was made clear that more of the money being made also needed to be used to help third world countries, via the Gates Foundation. Seemed like a good idea at the time but there was a problem, as any third world countrie had no idea there were other options and as a result went full bore with Microsoft, closing off even that after market to competitors. Giving laptops and desktops away with the windows operating system, the same operating system people in the states had been forced to use to long, the same operating system that was still a primary target for viruses, spyware and many things malicious. At first they were happy and thankful, then it started again, viruses, spyware, blue screens all the regular microsoft issues that far to many already know well enough, but there was no other education to the end user of the other options to be explored so computers went down and people had no idea how to fix it, and instead just went without a computer casting it aside thinking there was not way to recover from a virus when there actually was.
Certainly you would guess it should not matter so much, unless you consider that many of those in third world countries, have relatives, friends who are abroad and the computer was the one way they could keep in touch. Such as my friend whom I mentioned earlier, her pc that was still in the Phillipines had gone down because of a virus and her mother had no idea how to fix it or solve it. It is sad simply because of the fact that without that she could not keep in touch with her daughter or friends/family who were abroad at the time, making her life a lonely one. With her granddaughter in the states and her other grand child elsewhere empty nesting became clear and frustrating, and the end result I don't know. There are possibilities of course and one of the reasons I decided to fund the 3rd World Country Fund as found on Facebook, was to try and to something about that. To bring more people to the open source world, where things are more secure and updates a constant with a graphical interface that rivals even Microsofts best, without the security flaws and absolute disregard for the situations of an insecure system. To bring open source to these places seems to make sense to me, to give people back their way to communicate, to experience to keep in touch with family and relatives even at distance while also supporting an ever increasing community initiative.
So whether what Microsoft offered because of court decision, it seems really they did not help the situation of those in 3rd World, instead brought this countries problems of a failed Operating System to a great mass of less educated people, in the sense that in offering these systems to those in the third world they actually only extended the issues we have dealt with for so long. So what I propose is that we come together and make a difference, join the cause on Facebook and bring the vision to fruition while reconnecting family and friends with those who would of otherwise been lost simply because they were offered an inferior operating system, unpatched without the awareness of understanding of what is best done to make sure the computer, the connection to the world at large does the job without the issue of being shutdown because of a windows virus that found it's way in through any of the many security flaws of Windows.
Why not take the steps now to join the Cause Bringing technology to the third world on facebook uniting together in a common idea and common vision to help those who may not be aware to join the movement to bring Open Source to the World At Large, everyone person who joins in thsi journey will see what a difference each one can make in helping those who may otherwise be lost to keep in touch with those they care about even at distance.
