I found it humorous to see a picture of a 7×00 / G3 series Apple PowerMac on the cover of Thursday’s D.O. to depict the current state of affairs of ResNET, when all the computer problems have been exclusive to Microsoft Windows and Outlook. Every Macintosh, Linux computer and SUN workstation has been running without a hitch, except for the increased amount of network traffic and spam the Windows community has been creating.

While we are just beginning to recover from Blaster and SoBig, Microsoft announced a new RPC flaw in Windows, similar to Blaster. Now that every computer has been updated, we have to begin to brace ourselves for another attack. I am too cynical to believe that the average Syracuse student even knew they had a virus, or realizes they are vulnerable to losing complete control of their computers at this very moment.

So what should Syracuse University do? Abandon Microsoft. There are cheaper, more secure alternatives to Windows and Office. As Microsoft prepares to roll out Office 2003 with rights management, database integration with Windows Server 2003, SharePoint, IIS, and other flawed Microsoft technologies, I fear for my document’s sake.

With Microsoft’s extremely poor record on security, viruses, worms, Trojans, DoS, buffer overflows and all other forms of programming faux pas, I begin to wonder why Syracuse is so reliant on Windows and Office when there are cheaper, more secure alternatives. There are free operating Systems like BSD and Linux and free productivity suites like OpenOffice, GNOME-Office and KOffice that are all perfectly capable of handling anything a college student can throw at them. So why are our tuition dollars going to Microsoft for software that doesn’t work? It seems that every Windows PC is, by definition, in need of repair.

If I were in charge of ResNET, I would implement a simple policy: You have one week to update your computer or your connection will be severed. Those of us who don’t use Windows are tired of paying the price for everyone else’s mistakes. You bought Windows, you got infected. Now either fix it or get off my network.

Ian Molloy

Class of 2004