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When, last week, I suggested that Microsoft's "just download a patch" attitude to curing serious security problems was inadequate and didn't take into account the time, effort and bandwidth that people had to expend just to fix up Microsoft's design/manufacturing faults, many people berated me.

Now that we've seen yet another set of "critical vulnerabilities" announced by MS and yet another patch issued to fix them, there's an accompanying groundswell of discontent.

The Herald's Chris Barton has written a good piece on this subject and IDG's Paul Brislen has also raised the issue on the web and on TV in recent days.

So who's going to be first to lay a complaint with the Commerce Commission?

Even if you do, I wouldn't hold your breath waiting for any action.

Those with long memories will recall the numerous occasions when the CC has avoided confronting large companies such as Telecom over seeming breaches of laws designed to ensure fair trading and consumer protection.

Remember the 0800 battle between Voyager and Xtra anyone?

What does surprise me however, is that the open source community don't seem to have jumped on this wonderful opportunity to capitalise on Microsoft-induced mayhem.

Why aren't the public being told that neither the MSBlaster worm nor the SoBig virus have any effect on Linux systems and (so I'm told) a properly set up Linux box with a nice desktop and office suite is just as easy to use as Windows these days.

I'd wager that over the past week there have been many thousands of Kiwis who would gladly trade their Windows OS for something that didn't require them to download and install a seemingly endless series of patches just to retain control of their PCs.

But perhaps the fact that we haven't seen the OSS guys lobbying the media for a mention explains why most PC users are still running Windows. Since there's nobody making a fortune out of Linux, there's no money to engage in a professional awareness/marketing campaign and, as the success of Bill Gates proves, it's nothing to do with the product but everything to do with the marketing.

Lighten Up
Yes, mirth, mayhem, and miscellany reign -- it's another Lighten-up Friday.

First-up I thought I'd mention that I've made the front page of NewsWeek (online) Yes, check out the headline titled "How to Build a Cruise Missile for $5,000" at NewsWeek.com or go straight to the story. Not funny perhaps, but it's amazing that a little Kiwi lad could attract such global interest don't you think?

If you've got a friend who's a rugby fanatic and you're looking for a gift then why not try something from this selection from Amazin.com?

It's not often I see something that makes me laugh out-loud due to the scale of its lunacy -- but a reader submitted this little gem. Check out what some people will do in order to sneak into the USA as an illegal immigrant.

More next week...

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