"cheapskate", "freeloading" - you're not really hiding your contempt for people that don't want to pay for Microsoft products. There's a myriad of reasons why companies, public institutions like governments and universities pay for Microsoft, and it's not 100% based on merit.
In one example, the Government of Quebec was successfully sued because of how it preferentially used Microsoft products _without allowing alternatives_ in their contract bidding process [0]
Leaning on "free software users are cheapskate freeloaders" and framing it like Linux is lower quality than Windows because of money spent is a reductive view - it depends entirely on what you use your computer for.
You should read to whom and what I am replying to first:
>Bits in a screen that someone just comfortably typed and then pressed a button to ship is not as valuable.
This is a guy who argues that programming is not valuable work compared to a cup of coffee, as justification for his refusal to pay for software.
That, as far as I'm concerned, is a cheapskate and a pathetic one at that.
Programming is valuable work and some programmers want to be compensated in coin for their work. Not all users will want to compensate in coin or even compensate at all. These are both fine. Devaluing the former to justify the latter is not fine, and is what I am attacking.
I don't argue it. The behavior of consumers shows it. I'm just noticing it and sharing my observation which you're free to disagree with, but I think digging on this rather than calling our customers cheap will only advance our cause. You should learn to separate the person from the argument.
In one example, the Government of Quebec was successfully sued because of how it preferentially used Microsoft products _without allowing alternatives_ in their contract bidding process [0]
Leaning on "free software users are cheapskate freeloaders" and framing it like Linux is lower quality than Windows because of money spent is a reductive view - it depends entirely on what you use your computer for.
0: https://www.cbc.ca/news/science/quebec-government-sued-for-b...