14 DAY TRIAL // Windows 8 has been around for a while, but it indeed failed to impress, sticking to a market share that’s well below 10 percent and remaining below leaders Windows 7 and Windows XP.
The Free Software Foundation has used the occasion to republish an infographic it rolled out earlier this year, along with a message saying that “Windows 8 is a dud.”
“It's that gift-giving time of year. The main way people get Windows 8 is when they buy a new computer, when they don't have much of a choice. Is a new computer on your wishlist? Make sure your loved ones know you're ready to upgrade to GNU/Linux,” it says.
The FSF claims that Linux is a much better option for all users looking for a powerful operating system for their desktop computers, and it goes on to reveal some of the reasons why no one should be actually using Windows 8 right now.
“Windows 8 is locked from the outside. When you use Windows 8, your freedoms are compromised by proprietary software that locks you out from control of your own computer,” the infographic reads.
Linux, on the other hand, “is free software,” it says. “When you use a free operating system, you can count on freedom transparency and privacy.”
Unsurprisingly, the Free Software Foundation has also included some notes regarding the recent NSA scandal that Microsoft was involved in.
“Microsoft is a peeping Tom. Windows 8 monitors what you download and sends that information back to HQ. It can also delete programs without warning.”
Even though that doesn’t actually happen, the FSF adds that you have no privacy because “Windows 8 has bad security methods that could expose your personal information.”
This infographic isn’t new, but the FSF’s decision to republish it today demonstrates that the Windows 8 hate isn’t over, even though Microsoft has already launched Windows 8.1. As compared to Windows 8, 8.1 has been designed to address customer complaints, so it brings back many more customization options, as well as options to boot directly to desktop and a Start button.