FUD: Fear, Uncertainty and Doubt

Microsoft learned well from its mentor. IBM mastered the art of FUD (Fear-Uncertainty-Doubt) in its marketing campaigns back in the 1980s and 1990s. This week, Microsoft shot the latest in a long series of FUD shots in a lame attempt to scare the computing community into not using open-source products because "they violate Microsoft's patents." What a pile of cow manure! Even the lawyer that wrote the report being quoted by Microsoft has come out to tell everyone that Microsoft is misusing the information in his report. He clearly told Microsoft that Open Source software is LEAST likely to be in violation of filed patents as compared to Closed Source products. Microsoft's attempt to scare us all is pathetic. Personally, I had already decided not to use Vista or any other future Microsoft products except as required by my employer. At home, we will slowly but surely become a Microsoft-free zone. There are so many better choices out there that it is a no-brainer concept. If we all help each other, we can send a clear message to Microsoft (and others like it): we will NOT be dominated by fear and misinformation. We have choices and the responsibility to exercise such and support organizations that demonstrate ethical behavior and attitudes. Clearly, Microsoft is not in that category.