Just Say No to Microsoft: How to Ditch Microsoft and Why It's Not as Hard as You Think

by Tony Bove

"Just Say No to Microsoft" begins by tracing Microsoft's rise from tiny software startup to monopolistic juggernaut and explains how the company's practices over the years have discouraged innovation,... This description may be from another edition of this product.

• Format: Paperback
• Language: English
• ISBN: 159327064X
• ISBN13: 9781593270643
• Release Date: November 2005
• Publisher: No Starch Press
• Length: 243 Pages
• Weight: 1.20 lbs.
• Dimensions: 0.8" x 7.0" x 9.2"

Customer Reviews

The Microsoft Alternative

Tony Bove's JUST SAY NO TO MICROSOFT: HOW TO DITCH MICROSOFT AND WHY IT'S NOT AS HARD AS YOU THINK is for any who have doubts about Microsoft's products and patches. Introductory chapters cover all its flaws and move on to explain how one's PC can be liberated from Microsoft products entirely. Chapters provide background history of Microsoft, detail its practices which have discouraged innovation and competition, and explains how competing operating systems work and how users can obtain and use these systems. Finally: a clear history and explanation of Microsoft's pitfalls and how to overcome them - by switching to an alternative that works.

There *are* alternatives to Microsoft...

Contrary to what it may seem, there *are* viable alternatives to Microsoft. Tony Bove strongly suggests you adopt them in his book Just Say No To Microsoft - How To Ditch Microsoft And Why It's Not As Hard As You Think. Contents: Part 1 - You Say You Want A Revolution: Playing Monopoly Is No Longer Fun; All You Need Is A Mac; Linux - Land of the Free, Home of the Brave Part 2 - Rehab For Your Microsoft Addiction: Slay the Word and You'll Be Free; De-Microsoft Your Office; Media Lib - Microsoft-Free Music and Video Part 3 - The Whole Network Is Watching: The Message Is The Medium for Infections; This LAN Is Your LAN; Browsers and Your Own Private Identity Part 4 - Getting On With Your Computer Life: Twelve Steps to Freedom from Microsoft; Where Do You Want to Go Tomorrow?; The Truth Is Out There; Citations; Index If you're a Mac fan or a Linux fan, you'll most likely agree with everything Bove says. He is rabidly anti-Microsoft, and has little to say that's good about the company. Microsoft's cash cow software, the Windows operating system and Office, is drawn and quartered as being overpriced and buggy. The alternatives are to use either Mac's OS X or a Linux desktop distribution. As far as Office, he makes the strong case that the free OpenOffice.org suite will allow the vast majority of the users to do 100% of everything they're used to doing, with virtually no learning curve. Browsers? Protect your computer, dump IE, and go with Firefox. The net effect of all these suggestions is to have an environment that costs far less than comparable Microsoft offerings, as well as having a more secure computing experience. By no means is the author even-handed in his comparisons. The writing is strongly opinionated, but that's what makes it fun to read (in my less strident opinion). Some of his statements caused me to mentally step back and wonder why I continue to live with some of the limitations that Microsoft has put on my computing experience. While I won't be removing all vestiges of Microsoft from my computing environment, I will be more willing to question the common wisdom going forward...

Just Say NO to Microsoft

As a user of Microsoft products, I found that this book points out many of the problems and failures of Microsoft while offering an alternative that works a whole lot better. By creating humorous examples that parody Microsoft's configuration and options, the author has turned techno-babble into an entertaining and enjoyable read. I strongly recommend this book for anyone looking for an alternative operating environment and for everyone who is frustrated with Microsoft products. You won't find a more interesting and entertaining computer book on the market today.

Worth reading by anyone

It doesn't matter if you are a committed Microsoftie, someone who dumped their OS years ago, or someone just starting to get tired of putting up with the problems of viruses and never ending expense: this is a great book for anyone. I noticed another reviewer complaining about inaccuracies and Microsoft bashing: actually I think the author worked hard to avoid any of that, but unfortunately just telling simple truths about Microsoft does look like bashing: it's impossible to avoid. Easy to read, fun, and packed with historical information. Even if you have no interest at all in switching, you will enjoy this book.

Just Say No

This is a great book for anyone interested in the role Microsoft plays in the computer industry. It is loaded with facts about Microsoft's underhanded business practices, complete with footnotes and URLs for the reader to pursue further details. I also found useful the author's personal perspective on using Microsoft software and alternatives. I never realized how vulnerable to attack Word documents are -- and I didn't know until I read this book how Word documents can contain embarrassing edits. I also appreciate the extensive coverage of "free" open source software like Linux and OpenOffice. The foreword is an exceptional analysis of where Microsoft is today, and the book itself provides excellent tips on how to switch to a better computing platform than Windows. I found the "12 steps" very useful, as I have already taken the advice of the author and switched from Windows to a Mac. I urge others to make the switch, and to read this book to find out why you should and how to do it. Now that I've read the book, I'm considering switching from Word on a Mac to OpenOffice, and I'm already a Firefox user. The free software is every bit as good, if not better, than Microsoft's. I wouldn't have known that without reading this book.