In the late 1990s and early 2000s, Microsoft and the Business Software Alliance began cracking down on software piracy around the world.
Here in Ecuador, businesses suddenly felt the pressure — inspections, legal threats, and the fear of fines or seizures for running unlicensed software.
That moment changed my career.
In this video, I tell the story of how those crackdowns pushed companies toward Linux, how I ended up migrating entire offices to open source software, and why I believe Microsoft unintentionally helped create a generation of Linux users.
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▶️ 3Speak
I would have liked to have known Linux earlier. I always liked computers, but it was always Windows. And what you say is interesting, I am not sure if that happened in Mexico, maybe yes, but I do not recall.
Btw, I did these two images with Nano Banana Pro:
hahahahahhaha
this is awesome!
I never thought of Microsoft as an ally for Linux as it is opposite in so many ways. But, thinking about how windows is easymode (until you have to troubleshoot and peel back the layers) for users and Linux is not as straightforward for nontechnical users.
Still, you see the inferiority of windows, the bloated mess of decades of recycled code, and the cost associated with the software and Linux becomes a much more attractive alternative.
Brings me back to days of pc, network and server support then software sales and neat to see it from your perspective.
Linux has become easier than windows, in many aspect, for nontechnical users.
I got into Linux around 2000, but it was more down to curiosity and frustration with Windows than fear of the software police. I did use some 'borrowed' copies of various Windows versions. Actually I bought Win10 a few years ago as one of the kids needed it, but then we hardly used it. I've been using variants of Ubuntu for about 20 years now and it does what I need.
I have a newer Ubuntu running on an old laptop... its great. It just works!