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...Just because ignorant litte f**kstains...

I wasn't aware they could be sentient.

...like this can't understand why people don't wanna use his wanna-be cheap knock-off of an OS...

Yes, that is much better than calling people sheep.

...he has to go shooting off at the mouth like some 10yo Slashdot whore

Yes, you definitely have insults down to a science.

...who has absolutely no idea what he's talking about.

I assume all this applies to present company as well?

Truly, the more people I meet like this, the more I want to stay a part of the 97.25%.

Okay, now to completely lay off the sarcasm. How is your post any better than the one that called you a sheep? How has any more intelligence or wisdom been displayed?

I think one of the reasons that Linux users (as well as other non-Windows users) put down Microsoft and Windows (and consequentially those who like it) is not because Linux is so much better, but rather because Microsoft is viewed as an evil company (Linux being more stable, secure and dependable is just a bonus. People would use it anyway regardless).

Look at it this way. Imagine your government were on the news tonight, and they announced a new initiative to stop crime. Good so far right?

Now, they explain, to do this, all citizen's homes and all establishments will be equiped with cameras, microphones and other sensors to alert us to possible criminal intents. The benefits will be immediately obvious. Drug users will be easily arrested, stolen goods will be easily tracked down and recovered, domestic violence, molestation, rape, and all other types of violent crime will be instantly prosecuted, and the list goes on. All this, in hopes that fear and technology will prevent people from commiting crime.

Then, knowing the citizen's concern over raising taxes, they will assure us that taxes won't be raised. Instead, information gathered from conversations in your home will be sold to marketing companies on a monthly basis, who will then be able to peddle their goods to you based on your personal interests and needs ("I see you don't have a couch Mr. Schlemiel. Well, we have a great installment plan...").

If this were to happen, I imagine there would be an immediate outrage against it; and rightly so.

I think most Linux users (and even some Windows users) view Microsoft's undisclosed data gathering, products that call home to Bill, product activation, security issues, etc. as a total violation of individual privacy and rights. Basically MS is spying on you aren't they?

Non-Windows users also view Microsoft, just as the draconian government illustrated above, as trying to force these things onto willing and unwilling users alike with initiatives like Paladium, the Initiative for Software Choice, etc.

If the government were to do something similar to what I wrote above, then wouldn't you see supporters of that initiative as sheep? Since a lot of Linux users probably view Microsoft in exactly the same light as they would my erzats government, it is only logical that they would rile against Microsoft and Windows.

I wouldn't take it personally. I don't like Windows either (even though I'm using it right now), but that has nothing to do with your intelligence does it? I personally think that Windows users are walking down a maudlin path; slipping on the shackels of digital rights, license metering, activation and so on. But, that is for each person to choose for themselves. To each his own.