What can I do more to start a worldwide boycott of Microsoft?
I've made a blog post about boycotting Microsoft. It was my first blogpost in English and it attracted many attention and visitors at first, mainly through Digg and StumbleUpon. Many agreed and many disagreed, but that is about it... and on Digg it got buried by MS fans.
So my question is how can I promote this boycott further and get more people involved?
Here are the links to my blogpost and a follow up on it:
http://www.kletskous.com/2007/09/07/ten-reasons-to-boycott-microsoft-and-celibrate-software-freedom-day/
http://www.kletskous.com/2007/09/13/call-for-microsoft-boycott-provokes-strong-reactions/
Clarification added September 14, 2007:
We did already start a company that offers a better product at a competitive price (http://www.mingos.nl)
But we do not have the ambition to beat MS on marketing; actually their marketing tactics is the main reason to call for a boycott.
I am also quite sure that Linux and free software will beat MS in the long run on innovation but my main goal is to raise more awareness on what Microsoft's policies are and what is wrong with their products. And of course show people that there is a great free alternative available.
Good Answers (3)
Erno H.
Erno helps independent professionals use social media to attract clients. Author and Speaker. linkedin@ernohannink.com
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A worldwide boycott will not work in my opinion. You need to beat them on their own territory. Like mentioned before, use the strength of other software to grow attention. Use positive tactics instead of negative attacks. Have a great product, outstanding service and be remarkable.
Ray M.
Energy expert, educator, award winning sculptor
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Help sell Microsoft VISTA!!!
It is really creating more demand for Apple's OSX. Unix, etc........
Sanjay N.
CIO at Technology for Business Solutions
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Help in implementing open source applications for traditional business...till the end user gets weened away from windows, there is little hope....the only way is to promote usage of open, free sofware for office applications followed by serious business apps like CRMs and HRMSs
Many of these applications already exist as sturdy products but nebulous service ensures that nobody touches them. If somenoe can get the support pice right, microsoft would be running for its money.
sanjay9negi@hotmail.com
More Answers (7)
Start a company that offers a better product at a competitive price with outstanding marketing. It took MS a long time to gain a dominant market share so it may take just as long or longer to take the market share from them. Don't give up though. With your superior products, competitive pricing, and strong marketing you will eventually win in the long run.
If you want to accomplish this even faster, try innovating and beating them to the punch with newer, even better, technologies.
Sheilah E.
Owner, ★SME Management:.......... Business Management and Accounting Consultant
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You may get a few people on your bandwagon, but not a worldwide boycott. I think Wayne's comments on right on target, come up with a better and less expensive alternative.
Sheilah
Moti L.
CEO at Stratech
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Regardless of the reasons you post, boycotting a company goes against your principles for opposing Microsoft. Thus, you are contradicting yourself. The reason I say it is not that I'm a Microsoft fan (I'm typing it on a Mac) but because one of the principles behind your reasoning is free choice and anti-monopoly. Well, boycotting goes against those. As others here said, if I don't like Microsoft, I can choose otherwise. If I think they are not good, and I can do better, then I should open a start-up.
The only time to boycott is when there is a monopoly already (there isn't in this case). Boycotting a company because they are no good (product wise) or too good (business wise) does not make sense.
Daniel J.
Division Leader with Primerica Financial Services
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There is zero chance such a boycott could succeed. What you are calling for is not even a classic boycott.
The usual purpose of a boycott is to get a company to change its behavior. For example, boycotting Walmart because of its employment practices -- the purpose is to pressure Walmart to change its behavior towards employees, not a protest against the merchandise they carry.
If Microsoft products are inferior, then the marketplace will punish it by purchasing products that offer a better value. That's not a boycott. That's capitalism.
Sarah M.
Recruiter, Sales, Motivation
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Give away Mac's.
Eileen B.
IT Professional, Information Security Quality Assurance Operations & Administration
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Partner your O/S with someone like Acer/Gateway and you may have a shot.
Eileen
T. Nathan M.
Computer Vision Scientist at HRL Labs
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Everyone has hated Microsoft since I can remember. However, the people to reach are the CTO's. It's really the corporate support that keeps Microsoft in it's place. It seems that this is in some respect due to fear of new things. If you're a CTO of a large company and you switch to Mac or OpenOffice or something else open source, if something goes wrong it's your head. However, if you just stick with the same old BS, you can sleep at night. You need to inspire the people at the top to rock the boat. The people at the bottom are already hip.
