Flutterby™! : Why there MUST be alternatives.

According to several sources: The Register and ArsTechnica (and many more), Microsoft is patenting adware using context data from desktop applications and displaying adverts.

While part of this hits my funny bone: doing a home budgeting spreadsheet and adverts for bankruptcy lawyers pop-up, or maybe: while doing a powerpoint presentation for your company, your competitors adverts pop up.

I still find it an abomination, and invasion that just really hits me wrong. What it really means to me, is that we must have alternative operating systems. Linux, MacOSX, Solaris... It's not real yet. But somehow, I am sure that Microsoft will bring this patent/technology/revenue stream to life. Slowly at first, in limited ways. And then, everywhere.

On the other side of the coin, I've embraced that same idea for FOSS developers as a way for them to realize some income from their hard work. It's an interesting model, and they often have a "Pay me $25 for a license key and the adverts stop" button.

I fear Microsoft applications will require us to pay for the software, and opting out of ads will be an expensive and recurring option.