Saturday, February 24, 2007

Predatorily Crooked Microsoft Corporation

Outraged they are, and they won't have it, that their software is pirated and illegally used. They're the wealthiest corporation of their kind in the world, their founder the richest man on earth, yet they huff and puff their righteous anger that anyone would have the unmitigated nerve to descend to pirating their software.

Microsoft engages in such questionable corporate behaviour that they've been hauled before the courts time and again in the United States. Their predatory business practices geared to increasing already-imposing profits to ever more delerious heights knows no bounds. They will stoop to any low of sharp and edgy business to increase their market share and still forge on, never quite satisfied.

Microsoft software engineers craftily design intrusive software to ferret out the unwary who use pirated products and then place a well protected curse on those computer owners who knowingly and/or unknowingly make use of "unauthorized" software. A patch is installed on the offending computers, activated each time the computer is turned on, stingingly advising the user that they may be "a victim of software counterfeiting".

And kindly, so very generously offering to "authenticate" the software in question. This process of authentication is a bullying and deliberate method of further enhancing this corporation's bottom line. Anyone buying a second-hand computer better be certain one way or another they've also bought a legitimate copy of the software, otherwise don't ask for security updates on line.

Patches stealthily sought elsewhere on the Internet in the hopes of disabling Microsoft's irritatingly grafted patch fail, as the patch itself contains a defense mechanism whose purpose it is to completely deactivate the potential inbedded in the Microsoft-disabling patch. This is the most aggressive type of blackmail imaginable. And there's no recourse.

You have the option of purchasing a clearance on line through Microsoft Corporation's generous offer. Or you can live with the intimidating, irritating, nuisance of the constant patch reminders informing you that you're either a) a thief, or b) a patsy. Take your pick. And this is entirely legal; the software is patent-protected.

That's why I'm hoping that Microsoft's intention to appeal the judgement brought down on behalf of Alcatel-Lucent against Microsoft pirating their patent by infringing on their digital music technology without permission, to the tune of a cool $1.52 billion will fail. Evidently Microsoft, arrogant as always, feels it's perfectly proper and makes good business sense for it to make free of use technology patented to others.

This recent federal jury judgement in Washingon represents the largest patent ruling on record. This highlights the crooked audaciousness of this predatorily-engaged corporation wedded to the idea that it's quite all right for them to infringe on other companies' patents, while they hound the living daylights out of small businesses and individual computer owners.

This MP3 dispute between Alcatel-Lucent, defending its patent against Windows Media represents two corporate giants locked in battle, with one representing the guilt of corporate transgression, while the other defends its lawful entitlements. Whereas Microsoft Corporation exerts its powerful Internet hand to hound the defenceless as though its defence of piracy is high-minded and in the interests of fair business play.

They cannot possibly hurt their reputation in any event, since there's no reputation left to rescue from the dungeon of disrepute; well earned at that.

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