The Smartville Philosopher
Our philosophy is very simple. We don't like the PC industry blocking us out of the process of operating our own computer, or disabling them if we don't use a particular brand of software. Smartville is made up of a group of Pc users that are tired of being pushed around by big corporations more interested in their bottom lines than in providing us with well planned and written applications.
Others around the world have smelled the coffee. Why don't you get yourself a cup? Marketable Information Age skills are a valuable commodity in today's world. Without them you can't even program a spread sheet, let alone give your own instructions to these powerful devices. so they can carry out your commands at thousands of time the speed than you can do the job yourself.
A friend overseas shared these pictures with us. I hope you enjoy the humor, but the laugh should stick in your throat. They can afford to poke fun, because they aren't Windows dependent, Countries over there make their own hard and software. Although they recommend it in jest, I don't advise you pirate this trash. I maintain that if you want your PC constipated, and constantly freezing, you should pay through the nose like the rest of us do, Keep forking over the extra cash resellers add to their sticker prices, so they can make your think you're getting Windows and other programs for nothing.
The only alternative to this product is to gain true computer literacy. What these companies far the most is are well educated consumers.The ulimate price for letting them keep these skills away from you may be the loss of a secure future in a world where computer literacy is paramount. Now that you've had your coffee, let's give Bill a cup. It's time he woke up too.
A Message From Across The Sea
An Open Letter To Bill
Dear Bill,
We don't share the sentiment in the last picture, but it does illustrate where you are taking those that blindly follow you. They're headed for an early gave. Just wanted to let you know that you haven't mentally crippled us all. Intelligent PC users around the world are on to you. We refuse to let you turn us into brain dead, icon clicking, zombies. Unlike our friends overseas, we aren't mad at you. They want your head on a stick. All we want is for you to get your steel boot off our necks, by voluntarily releasing your head lock on our machines. We know that your software renders them useless as computers, in order to stop us from understanding how badly you've misdirected our use of these machines.
Maybe we aren't as angry because we still remember when Windows was still a benign interface that still let PC users with skills control their own devices.The fact that you no longer let us run the cheaper, faster, smaller programs once available for DOS amounts to criminal behavior. It's time your stopped cramming your unimaginative, bloated, buggy, software down our throats. Do you think we aren't smart enough to realize that your products are serving your interests, not ours? We don't want to have to buy new hard and software every two years! This town is here to give its residents enough skills so they can dodge your upgrades until you stop treating us like idiots. As your customers we deserve dignity and respect you have not seen fit to give us. Computer literacy lives! If you care in the least, here is what we want. Give us a smaller, faster, and better designed version of Windows, that doesn't raise the hardware threshold. We know it's possible. DOS shells did it for decades on machines hundreds of time slower, before you came along with your idiot box software.
As former customers that like neither your poorly written software, or global agenda, we want to see the following design changes.
1. DOS and Windows sold as separately products.
2. That your new shells exit into a robust operating systems.
3. We also want the Internet Explorer separated from the operating system.
4. And finally, we want a voice in your software development process.
You should have never used your code monopoly to limit choice in computing. Your menu system has no right to shut down a computer when it exits, or to close competing applications for questionable reasons for that matter. Complying with our requests is the least you can do. Your days of misleading us are over! Why not do the right thing for once? You've made your money, now let the people of the world tap into the power of these devices, so we can continue the computer revolution you stamped out to line your corporation's pockets. Free us, and those that develop software products, by giving DOS back to the world. We demand that you let us exit your cludged together application, so those with skills can control devices once more.
Have no fear, there will always be a Windows. It's a good starting point for the computer phobic, and small children. Oh, and I almost forgot, it's great for training monkeys to click on pretty pictures to get banannas! I'm sure animal trainers appreciate your help in this regard, even though it doesn't make for much of a show. People were controlling these own devices long before your software came along, or did you forget?
If you want to clear your conscience, I sugguest you pay for the training programs needed to impart the skills you've kept from a generation of PC users that trusted you. The name of the game is programming Bill, remember? That's the operative word in computing. Isn't it how you made your money? Why not give others a chance to prepare themselves for the Age of Automation that now threatens to rob them of their jobs? Many families will go hungry because of your crimes against humanity. Can you find it in your heart to start helping, instead of hurting the world?
Yours, if you comply
An informed PC user
PS I suggest you return to making helpful menu systems, that help users transition to programming, instead of devilish boobie traps that crash the computers of those that merely want to learn to use their PCs, or try products you don't want to permit to run.
Well, I see the sun setting behind mount Smartville. I don't want to make you miss the last bus out of town. Now that you know where to find us, come back and visit often. It take a long time to fully explore the free software and services we link you to, and to absorb all the information you've been given. If you'd like to move into this virtual community, just sign the guest book. You'll get far more out of the page that way.Isn't it time you stopped being a pawn, and began being a player in this game?
