John C. Dvorak, writing for PC Magazine, asks, “Does Microsoft think it is going to get away with charging real money for any sort of add-on, service, or new product that protects clients against flaws in its own operating system? Does the existence of this not constitute an incredible conflict of interest? Why improve the base code when you can sell ‘protection’? Is Frank Nitti the new CEO?”
Dvorak’s article, “The Microsoft Protection Racket,” continues:
Why protect the users when you can fix the code? Therein lies the rub. Microsoft cannot fix the code—that’s the point. It apparently cannot be done. Microsoft talks about how when it releases Vista, there will be various versions such as Home, Small Business, Enterprise, and so on. Why doesn’t the company just bite the bullet and bring out various exploitable versions? Here are some suggestions:
Vista – Won’t Boot Edition… $29.95
Vista – Preloaded with Viruses and Spyware Edition… $39.95
Vista – Initially Clean but Use at Your Own Risk Edition… $49.95
Vista – Clean with Firewall and Weekly Protection Update Edition… $200
You get the idea. How about this for a concept: One Version that Works Edition.
Full article here.
Related MacDailyNews articles:
Mafiasoft? Microsoft to ‘offer’ new subscription security protection racket – October 07, 2005
Sleazy Microsoft sells out anti-spyware Windows users, downgrades Claria Gator to ‘ignore’ – July 07, 2005
V.I.S.T.A.?
Virus Infections Sold To Addle-brains
People will pay, three reasons:
1. People are stupid, after all they continue to use windwos with all it’s viruses and malware.
2. People don’t know of anything better than windows.
3. Apple won’t advertise mac os x to let them know about the better alternative 🙁
TripleHead:
Thank you for the info on Filemaker Pro.
One question, the shop I work at uses Access, can I create databases in Filemaker Pro to be used by Access users? The company is cheap and doesn’t want to change their current software programs.
Thanks in advance
Wow. I wouldn’t be proud of the 638,000 Google results you get when putting in ‘Microsoft admits Windows’.
Good one Replay. Hey, didn’t you make the “I want one err what is it ” remark? You were right except it was more than one…
Guess i’m your biggest fan now then.
Microsoft charging for their protection software is like Ford Motor Co. charging you for fire extinguishers when you buy a Pinto.
No thanks.
Matrix1: Yes, you can export data from FileMaker to an Access-readable (dbf) file. You can also export to an Excel-readable (slk) file.
The inverse is also true – you can directly import Access data into FileMaker. You can do the same with Excel files. You can also convert Excel files into a FileMaker database by dropping the Excel file icon right onto the FileMaker window and it will convert it to a FM file.
Matrix1: If you go to http://www.filemaker.com, you can download a 30-day trial and try it out.
Matrix1:
FileMaker Pro is available for both Mac & Windows, I believe that programs written on one platform will work on the other platform.
Now you could probably transfer data tables from one platform to the other with minimum aggravation (export as Excel or CSV, transfer, then import). The hard part will be maintaining Access and FileMaker code (reports, forms, etc.) That will essentially double your development costs.
You didn’t state why you want to go dual platform. If there is a business mandate, then convince your pointy haired boss that the cost of buying one software environment for both platforms will save money over maintaining two differnet software environments. If this is for a personal project, then I am afraid you are out of luck – there’s no seamless way to do Access on a Mac except VPC.
Internet Explorer blows shriveled nuts.
He said “nuts”!
it’ll be really funny if the protection racket get’s hacked and virus laden w/in it’s first week.
It’s like selling prophylactics with holes and charging extra for a patch kit.
Ugh.
(on a side note, I had no clue how to spell that word… I love the right-click dictionary on my Mac)
Yeah I’m really impressed.. on Twit a few weeks ago, they were talking about MS pricing schemes for Vista..
and they were all like, “Man, this company is cooked.. they are so out of touch..”
about 9 different versions of Windows.. all with annoying little quirks.. er.. features
I mean.. I haven’t even talked about the ripoff itself.. that is.. if MS delivers on it’s promises..
*hrmph
qka, TripleHead:
Thanks for all of your information and advice.
The brainless bosses invested in MS Office Pro which has Access.
They paid consultants who setup Access databases for order tracking and invoicing.
Now they want another app, I didn’t want to use VPC and Access. Plus I wanted to stay on my Mac. I was hoping Star Office might be an option since I heard they had a good DB program but that app isn’t written for Mac.
Any other ideas?
I know they won’t invest in Filemaker for the other PC’s even if I create the DB in Filemaker.
Funny indeed.
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I googled “Microsoft admits Windows” also and laughed at the results. My favorite is an oldie but a goodie:
“Microsoft admits to flaw in Windows patch – ZDNet UK News”
http://news.zdnet.co.uk/software/windows/0,39020396,39193434,00.htm
Damn, it’s pretty bad when you have to patch your patches.
>hacked and virus laden w/in it’s first week.>
Is Virus Bin’s brother?
It was a pity about the iPod nano screen flaw because that’s what you get with a ‘Apple admits mac’ search.
A good few are gems like this though: ‘Apple admits Mac mini over-spec: Mac minis have shipped with a better-than-advertised spec.’
There you go…not a Macintosh flaw in sight! (I’m on the cool-aid big time)
Matix1 said: […They paid consultants who setup Access databases for order tracking and invoicing. Now they want another app,]
You’re locked in. There isn’t any viable solution to your dilemma other than to continue to develop in MS Access on Windows.
You can redevelop the entire solution in something like FileMaker; you can redevelop a browser-accessible, SQL back end portable solution; you can develop the new app with FM and create hooks into your existing apps – imort/export, etc.
But really, real-world realistically, you won’t find it practical, acceptable and economical to do antyhing but accept the lock-in and do the new app in MS Access under Windows.
it’ s like selling a nano that easily scatches and then selling people covers to protect it… seems to become a business model.
magic word “future” like in “business model of the future”
Microsoft has been selling a defective product for over a decade, causing the user to have to spend extra money to mitigate the defects. Now, they want to make money off the defects.
When are some of the Windows consumers going to join in a class action suit for damages! The corporations need to look at the extra costs they have had to expend to cover up these defects and should also look to suits for damage – let alone the US Government.
Vingt:
Thanks for the information.
I was afraid of this, I really didn’t want to work on Windows again, much less using any other product of MS (Access).
Guess that’s the only option.
Matrix 1:
“Now they want another app, I didn’t want to use VPC and Access. Plus I wanted to stay on my Mac. I was hoping Star Office might be an option since I heard they had a good DB program but that app isn’t written for Mac.
Any other ideas?
I know they won’t invest in Filemaker for the other PC’s even if I create the DB in Filemaker.”
If you want to stay on the Mac, and get FileMaker yourself, depending on what you are trying to do, you may find that the live, instant web-publishing feature of FileMaker could be acceptable; I have no doubt as to FMP’s ability to serve up a great app over your network from your Mac, the only question would be whether the slight interface constraints (every screen with inputs has to have the data ‘submitted’ using a web form that mirrors your layout very well) would be welcomed by the PC staff. Don’t get me wrong, it will look and work great (I know from experience), it’s just not exactly the same as clicking a button from a ‘real’ app.
I have produced a number of sophisticated, networked FileMaker solutions. Let me know (e-mail ahcas@mac.com) what you will need to do and I can offer suggestions.
Sacha Mitchell
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