Windows is Dead, IP Law Fun Time
Nerdy, but not as nerdy or incomprehensible as my last nerdy entry
On June 30, Microsoft will cease to sell Windows XP. A moment of silence please for what was, while deeply flawed (and yes in many ways inferior to other operating systems), Microsoft's most stable and sensible operating system. I no longer use Windows as my primary operating system, but it's handy to keep a copy around for all the software that's designed to run only on Windows. The most interesting part of all this, however, is a moral question. Windows Vista is crap. Nearly any geek will agree with you there. It is therefore not unreasonable to want to install Windows XP, if one is going to install windows. If Microsoft won't sell it, is it immoral to pirate it?
I've never been a fan of software or music piracy (much as hatred of the RIAA and "Micro$oft" may be justified, nearly all arguments I've heard to justify piracy of their wares have been ludicrous. There's also the fact that I plan to make a living as a software developer eventually). If one copies an electronic work without giving due remittance to its vendor, one is unfairly benefiting from the labour of others. When a work has no vendor however the situation it seems to me must change markedly. Microsoft of course wants people to buy Windows Vista and not use XP, but I reject categorically their power to mandate that. (If you disagree with that rejection I'm happy to go into my reasons why, but I'll save space for the moment). I then see three possible courses of action, if one is going to install XP (this could apply equally well to any other piece of software no longer available for distribution).
Opinions?
Oh and I'll be back in Hanover tomorrow.
On June 30, Microsoft will cease to sell Windows XP. A moment of silence please for what was, while deeply flawed (and yes in many ways inferior to other operating systems), Microsoft's most stable and sensible operating system. I no longer use Windows as my primary operating system, but it's handy to keep a copy around for all the software that's designed to run only on Windows. The most interesting part of all this, however, is a moral question. Windows Vista is crap. Nearly any geek will agree with you there. It is therefore not unreasonable to want to install Windows XP, if one is going to install windows. If Microsoft won't sell it, is it immoral to pirate it?
I've never been a fan of software or music piracy (much as hatred of the RIAA and "Micro$oft" may be justified, nearly all arguments I've heard to justify piracy of their wares have been ludicrous. There's also the fact that I plan to make a living as a software developer eventually). If one copies an electronic work without giving due remittance to its vendor, one is unfairly benefiting from the labour of others. When a work has no vendor however the situation it seems to me must change markedly. Microsoft of course wants people to buy Windows Vista and not use XP, but I reject categorically their power to mandate that. (If you disagree with that rejection I'm happy to go into my reasons why, but I'll save space for the moment). I then see three possible courses of action, if one is going to install XP (this could apply equally well to any other piece of software no longer available for distribution).
- pirate XP without a second thought: The reasoning for this would be that if there is no vendor, no one is profiting from its sale (because there is no sale) so there is nothing unfair about taking it without remitting payment. Counter argument is that one would otherwise buy Vista, so one is in effect depriving MS of that revenue.
- pirate XP, send MS a check for the XP's last price: No idea what MS would do with the check, since it wouldn't be an official sale, but this would be in effect saying "I'm still buying XP from you even if you don't want to sell it". Counter argument is that price of Vista, which one would otherwise buy, is about $45 more.
- Buy Vista, install (technically pirated) XP instead. Least appealing option for the consumer, but I find absolutely no moral problems with it.
Opinions?
Oh and I'll be back in Hanover tomorrow.