A Microsoft executive casually dropped the idea of improving Internet security by levying a tax on users in a speech at RSA 2010 last week, and a lot of blood is still boiling. "Microsoft suggesting that some tax be instituted to fund fixing malware problems would be like Toyota suggesting an additional gasoline tax to fund their recent recalls," said Slashdot blogger yagu.
It's not often that Linux Girl is struck speechless by some tidbit of news in the tech world, but every once in a while it happens.
Amid all the
high-level discussion of Internet security at the
RSA Conference 2010 in San Francisco, Microsoft's Scott Charney -- who holds the ironic title of "corporate vice president for trustworthy computing" -- actually suggested a government tax to help the company improve Windows security.
"An Internet usage tax might be the way to go," Charney said -- apparently with a straight face, according to a
Computerworld report. "You could say it's a public safety issue and do it with general taxation."
'Let Them Clean Their Own Fscking Mess'
It took a little while for Linux Girl to regain consciousness after that, and she's still carrying smelling salts, just in case.
A tax to help Microsoft fix what's wrong with its products? Are there even words to describe such an idea?
Bloggers seemed to have no trouble finding them.
"Wow," wrote handydan918 in the Computerworld comments, for example. "So M/S wants to go on the government dole and compel ME to pay for THEIR incompetence? Pass. No other platform is as vulnerable as Windows. Let them clean their own fscking mess...."
'Linux Users Should Get a Tax Break'
Similarly: "How about an excise tax on Microsoft operating systems and/or computer hardware that has a Microsoft operating system preinstalled -- say 250%?"
suggested AC on OStatic. "This should solve a substantial number of problems."
And of course: "If there is a Malware tax, then the Linux and Unix users should get a tax break," another anonymous commenter quickly noted.
Expressions of like-minded sentiments could be heard echoing throughout the blogosphere in recent days
Hoping to revive her spirits with some much-needed spirits, Linux Girl headed over to the "Free As Inn" Bar for a little reality check.
'An Issue of Product Failure'
"Science fiction authors couldn't dream that up,"
Slashdot blogger Eldavojohn opined.
"Microsoft's suggestion is a cute way to shift the blame entirely off of themselves onto the user, when in fact this isn't just an issue of user stupidity but more so product failure," he told LinuxInsider.
"I find it amusing that the spokesman skirted the obvious fact that Macs and Linux are more secure than Windows," Eldavojohn added. "Should we do the same honors for Linux and implement a 'UI Tax' to every computer user so that Linux can be more usable? No. Should we implement a 'game port tax' or 'driver tax' so that OS X becomes more supported? Laughable."
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