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I thought that was you. The writing style was very similar.

Just a few quick comments.

First of all, I don't care what anybody runs. My last posts were from my Debian machine, and this one is from my Windows XP machine. I am quite flexible in what I use and I don't care one way or another about what anybody else uses. I do care that people are accurate when posting about either of these operating systems, and I will usually comment if I see inaccuracies; intended or otherwise.

Well, except for your notion that nobody can afford to buy Windows software and therefore must pirate it all. Out of the 20-30 apps my friend has, some of them are pirated, some of them are bought, and most came with her computer. Also, most people I know have no problem using pirated software at all. It's all a matter of conscience - I don't judge people one way or the other over it.

Well, that statement right there sort of makes my point that in order to have Windows be useful to them, users either have to fork over large amounts of money, or illegally use the software. Users don't have to face that moral dilemma under Linux. Also, not many users lives depend upon Macromedia. Most users check email, write documents, balance a checkbook, play Freecell, etc. They can accomplish all of that on Linux quite easily.

If your livelyhood does depend on Macromedia, then you had better have a legal copy. If your stuff permeates the market enough to get noticed by these companies, and they find your web pages, graphics, etc. have been created with the Long John Silver version of Dreamweaver, you may find your livelyhood significantly taxed by Macromedia.

So, to answer your question, if somebody absolutely had to have Macromedia products to support their family, but couldn't afford them, what would they do? Well, let me give you a personal example.

I used Borland's C++ Builder to create Windows applications, and InstallSheild to deploy them, for a number of years. It was the first development environment I learned and the only one I knew. However, a few years ago, Borland and InstallSheild raised their prices far beyond what I was willing to pay (not to mention the costs of custom VCLs). My choices were to pirate C++ Builder and the other software, or to learn a different approach. I chose to take the legal route and learned how to write dynamic web apps using Java Servlets. I stopped writing Windows applications and instead created browser based applications. I ended up making more money, increasing my programming skills significantly, and I had a lot more fun on my programming projects because the scope was so much larger (instead of doing pretty front ends to databases, I moved to hotel reservation systems, Human Resource software, etc). I am very thankful that I was flexible at that particular crossroad in my life.

...And no, you didn't specifically say that, but your little 'flexability' comment most certainly implies it.

Actually, my flexibility comment is quite accurate I think. If your goal is to write a letter to someone and you're hellbent on doing it in Word, then your focus is not on the desired result, but rather on the method and using something you know. That being the case, it is probably best that you stick with Word (I am not an advocate of running Windows applications under Linux either, so this would mean sticking with Windows).

On the other hand, if you are only interested in the outcome, or the letter, then you could type it in StarOffice, Hancom Office, KOffice, Abiword, or even VIM. You wouldn't care, as long as you got your letter.

The first person is better off sticking to what they are used to. The flexible person, who is only interested in results and doesn't care how they get them, would probably do fine with any of the several desktop centric Linux distros available today.

Finally, you made this comment, "...Oh, you can do all the things in Linux that you can do in Windows". I'm sorry Darius, but it is true. Personally, I can do everything I do with Windows with Linux. Does that mean I can run Macromedia products under Linux? No. It does mean, however, that I can use any of a number of programs available under Linux to create the same things that you might use Macromedia Studio to create. There are some things, however, that I am unable to do under Windows that I can do with Linux, which is why I like it so well.

I don't begrudge you using Windows. Do whatever feels good and be happy. I would suggest that you have a live and let live attitude towards Linux users as well. Don't begrudge them for their OS choice.