Practical Technology

for practical people.

FSF takes on Windows 7

| 0 comments

The FSF (Free Software Foundation) has never liked proprietary software, but for most of its history, it’s focused on singing the praises of free software, and, with some distaste, its near-twin, open-source software. Not anymore. These days, the FSF is spending its time attacking proprietary software, like it did today, August 26th, when it went after Windows 7 in its new Windows 7 Sins: The case against Microsoft and proprietary software.

The seven deadly sins are, according to the FSF, the “seven major areas where proprietary software in general and Microsoft Windows in particular hurt all computer users: invading privacy, poisoning education, locking users in, abusing standards, leveraging monopolistic behavior, enforcing DRM (Digital Restrictions Management), and threatening user security.”

Beside the Web site, and a public demonstration at the Boston Common, the FSF elaborated on these points in a letter to the leaders of the Fortune 500 companies. Well, actually 499 CEOs since, as the FSF notes on the site, “We didn’t think Microsoft would listen.”

Yeah. I think that’s a safe bet.

More >

Leave a Reply