Saturday, August 07, 2004
FUD
If you're at all familiar with computers and the Microsoft Anti-trust trial a few years back, the above line will no doubt rekindle fond and familiar memories.
It was said that during the years preceding the trial, and even more during the trial, Micro$oft had used FUD (fear, uncertainty, and doubt) to take over smaller companies, crowd those they couldn't take over out of the market, force users to utilize their products and gain an illegal edge in the marketplace, and hide it all from investigators.
* Fear because MicroShaft is a HUGE multizillion dollar company that (like it or not) has taken the majority of the marketplace - so if you don't do as they say (if you're a smaller business), they'll just buy you out or crush you in their wake. Also, there was the "fear factor" they laid forth saying that "if Internet Explorer isn't a central part of our operating system, the whole thing will crash." Like it doesn't on a daily basis anyway.
* Uncertainty was brought into the picture by never knowing what software would be compatible (Word 95 with WinXP, for example is no longer supported), never knowing whether your word document would be compatible with the latest Office Suite or wondering if you would be able to afford the software you needed.
* Doubt. Well, this was the most powerful tool of all. Ever heard of "Reasonable Doubt?" "We really didn't TRY to force xyz company out of the marketplace, that is just the way business works." Right, never mind the leaked internal memos from the committees devoted to studying these companies and destroying them - but they didn't try.
Why am I dredging up a years-old story? Because it is happening again. I opened up my web browser and my home page pops up with the top news story being: "Bush Warns Americans They Are 'Still Not Safe'"
Of course, when you read the article it is basically GW using the "war on t{rror" to try to get re-elected. He (and his co-conspirator, Cheney) tell the american people how the recent t{rror alert in NY, NJ, and DC proves that they need another term to 'make the world safe for democracy' (never mind the most recent alert was based on intelligence from 3 years ago). I have some questions - why is the world not safe for democracy? Oh yeah, because we try to shove it down everyone else's throat. Is it any surprise that people hate America? Why, when GW/Cheney have not been able to do anything about it in the past 3 years, would we want to give them another 4? So GW can institute his joke-of-a-plan for education? (Yeah, right) And why are we using intelligence 3 years old? If you quote a 3 year old medical study, you'll get laughed at (frequently) - that is ancient!
OK, count to 10... 1....2....3....4...5...6...7....8....9...10.... I feel better.
If you can't tell, I'm not really fond of our current president. I wasn't fond of him before he was president, and I'm not fond of his brother in Florida. I think they make really terrible leaders, they enact TERRIBLE policy (remember the brain-dead lady in Florida?), and they should be kept as far away from politics as possible.
Fear, uncertainty, doubt - fear of t{rrorism, uncertainty about our future, doubt that GW will be able to do anything about it.
FUD. I'm voting for mickey mouse this election.
more to come... ¶ 2:37 PM
It was said that during the years preceding the trial, and even more during the trial, Micro$oft had used FUD (fear, uncertainty, and doubt) to take over smaller companies, crowd those they couldn't take over out of the market, force users to utilize their products and gain an illegal edge in the marketplace, and hide it all from investigators.
* Fear because MicroShaft is a HUGE multizillion dollar company that (like it or not) has taken the majority of the marketplace - so if you don't do as they say (if you're a smaller business), they'll just buy you out or crush you in their wake. Also, there was the "fear factor" they laid forth saying that "if Internet Explorer isn't a central part of our operating system, the whole thing will crash." Like it doesn't on a daily basis anyway.
* Uncertainty was brought into the picture by never knowing what software would be compatible (Word 95 with WinXP, for example is no longer supported), never knowing whether your word document would be compatible with the latest Office Suite or wondering if you would be able to afford the software you needed.
* Doubt. Well, this was the most powerful tool of all. Ever heard of "Reasonable Doubt?" "We really didn't TRY to force xyz company out of the marketplace, that is just the way business works." Right, never mind the leaked internal memos from the committees devoted to studying these companies and destroying them - but they didn't try.
Why am I dredging up a years-old story? Because it is happening again. I opened up my web browser and my home page pops up with the top news story being: "Bush Warns Americans They Are 'Still Not Safe'"
Of course, when you read the article it is basically GW using the "war on t{rror" to try to get re-elected. He (and his co-conspirator, Cheney) tell the american people how the recent t{rror alert in NY, NJ, and DC proves that they need another term to 'make the world safe for democracy' (never mind the most recent alert was based on intelligence from 3 years ago). I have some questions - why is the world not safe for democracy? Oh yeah, because we try to shove it down everyone else's throat. Is it any surprise that people hate America? Why, when GW/Cheney have not been able to do anything about it in the past 3 years, would we want to give them another 4? So GW can institute his joke-of-a-plan for education? (Yeah, right) And why are we using intelligence 3 years old? If you quote a 3 year old medical study, you'll get laughed at (frequently) - that is ancient!
OK, count to 10... 1....2....3....4...5...6...7....8....9...10.... I feel better.
If you can't tell, I'm not really fond of our current president. I wasn't fond of him before he was president, and I'm not fond of his brother in Florida. I think they make really terrible leaders, they enact TERRIBLE policy (remember the brain-dead lady in Florida?), and they should be kept as far away from politics as possible.
Fear, uncertainty, doubt - fear of t{rrorism, uncertainty about our future, doubt that GW will be able to do anything about it.
FUD. I'm voting for mickey mouse this election.
more to come... ¶ 2:37 PM
