# Whats so bad about microsoft?

- Microsoft collaborated with the [NSA](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/NSAKEY)'s prism program to:
  - Read and store all outlook service emails.
  - Read all your OneDrive files.
  - NSA recorded all Skype calls.
  - [Windows 10 watches everything you type and sends it to Microsoft.](http://www.newsweek.com/windows-10-recording-users-every-move-358952) Branded by microsoft as telemetry, its stated purpose is to provide you a _personalized user dictionary_, and provide you with text suggestions as you type. Even after turned off, [it still collects data and sends to microsoft.](https://arstechnica.com/information-technology/2015/08/even-when-told-not-to-windows-10-just-cant-stop-talking-to-microsoft/) Microsoft retroactively added Windows 10 spying to [Windows 7 and 8. ](https://www.pcworld.com/article/2978239/windows/microsoft-slips-user-tracking-tools-into-windows-7-8-amidst-windows-10-privacy-storm.html)
- [Microsoft has a long history of buying up and killing small companies to stifle competition and innovation.](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_mergers_and_acquisitions_by_Microsoft) The US Department of Justice launched an anti-trust suit against Microsoft in 2001. Documents on microsoft found that they referred to a policy called [Embrace, Extend, Extinguish](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Embrace,_extend,_and_extinguish), to describe its strategy for entering product categories involving widely used standards, extending those standards with [proprietary](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Proprietary_software) capabilities, and then using those differences to strongly disadvantage its competitors. This policy was either attempted or successfully carried out via:
  - After Microsoft crushed browser competition with its operating system monopoly, a [web dark ages stalled browser development for 2 years.](https://www.reddit.com/r/ragecomics/comments/11c1t1/internet_explorer_rfunny_said_i_should_post_it/c6lbhu2/)
  - Browser incompatibilities: Killing Netscape via incompatible Java, CSS, and ActiveX incompatibilies.
  - Office incompatibilities: Bill gates : "One thing we have got to change in our strategy—allowing Office documents to be rendered very well by other peoples [*sic*] browsers is one of the most destructive things we could do to the company."
  - Java incompatibilities: Tried to kill sun by introducing Java incompatibilities. Lost two lawsuits to Sun.
  - Messaging: Killed AOL's instant messenger via embracing then introducing incompatibilities in AIM messenger.
  - Microsoft acquired Nokia, and mandated that Windows Phone 7 be put on all new phones. [9000 workers quit the company in protest](https://www.reddit.com/r/ragecomics/comments/11c1t1/internet_explorer_rfunny_said_i_should_post_it/c6lbhu2/), and Nokia's brand value fell from [5th to 98th place](https://www.rankingthebrands.com/The-Brand-Rankings.aspx?rankingID=37&year=857) in 2014.
  - [Microsoft acquires Skype, it becomes bloated and users flee to other platforms.](https://www.reddit.com/r/pcmasterrace/comments/736tfh/skype_is_officially_bloatware_uninstalled_it/)
  - [Bill Gates alternating between acting like a child, and a sociopath during his anti-trust deposition.](https://arstechnica.com/tech-policy/2020/09/revisiting-the-spectacular-failure-that-was-the-bill-gates-deposition/)

- Its [workers often suffer burnout](https://archive.is/20120629191556/http://www.krsaborio.net/research/1980s/89/890423.htm), and has been called a _velvet sweatshop_. Microsoft lost a lawsuit for $93 million for using "permatemp" employees, which were worked as hard as ordinary employees, yet received none of the benefits. Microsoft is the largest American corporate user of H-1B guest worker visas in order to pay them less. Microsoft has also come under criticism for developing software capable of analyzing the output of remote sensors in order to [measure the competence and productivity of workers based on their physical responses.](https://www.thetimes.co.uk/article/microsoft-seeks-patent-for-office-spy-software-h0dd5zmtfnt)
- Github, now owned by microsoft, begins [blocking developers from countries antagonistic to the US](https://www.zdnet.com/article/github-starts-blocking-developers-in-countries-facing-us-trade-sanctions/) such as Iran, Russia.
- [The Case against Microsoft and Github (On Microsofts collaboration with ICE / Border Patrol, and NSA).](https://sneak.berlin/20200307/the-case-against-microsoft-and-github/)

## Sources

- https://stallman.org/microsoft.html
- http://www.kmfms.com/whatsbad.html
- https://www.gnu.org/philosophy/right-to-read.en.html
- [Steve Ballmer - Linux is communism](https://www.theregister.co.uk/2000/07/31/ms_ballmer_linux_is_communism/)