Microsoft Windows
From Hackers-IL
Microsoft Windows is a line (or rather two lines) of operating systems that include Windows 3.0, Windows 3.1, Windows for Workgroups (3.11), Windows 95, Windows 98, Windows ME, and the NT-line which is more solid: Windows NT 3.2/3.5/4.0, Windows 2000, Windows XP and Windows 2003. It is distributed as non-open-source, binary only programs, and can cost quite a bit. A great deal of other software for this platform (third-party or Microsoft software) is also either binary-only or costs money.
Windows and its predecessor (and to large extent philosophical father), DOS originated from early x86-based personal computers, which were limited, often not-networked, or networked in an in-organization LAN. Early Windows had no idea of file permissions and were easy to take over, spy on, or crack into. As the Internet revolution got in vogue, and Microsoft went on the Internet bandwagon, an even graver problem ensued. It turned out its products were full of security holes, due to sloppy programming practices of its developers. For the record, it should be noted that this is not limited to Microsoft, and even many open source packages have been very prune to security holes.
One can hope that Microsoft will adopt better programming practices, and also revamp its existing codebase, to get rid of the remaining security holes, and also structure it better to prevent it in the future.
Most hard-core UNIX and Linux enthusiasts are not very fond of Windows. They generally find that UNIX is more transparent, more flexible, easier to understand, more powerful, faster on average, can be made more secure, cheaper and more accessible and generally better. Unfortunately, many of them are forced to work on Windows, at their workplaces, or are trying to make money out of developing software or solutions for Windows.
Nevertheless, Hackers-IL accept Windows-enthusiasts into its ranks. We're Hackers-IL, not Windows-bashers-IL, and Windows hackers are hackers 100%. A suggestion is to either stay out of Windows-bashing and Windows-ranting sessions, or to simply inform the person why he is wrong while being fully factual and non-flamatory about how the opposite side is wrong. Still, please don't say things like "Perl/Python/Ruby sucks! Visual Basic owns!". Normally, you will be ignored.
