upgrade-windows.html (5320B)
1 <!--#include virtual="/server/header.html" --> 2 <!-- Parent-Version: 1.96 --> 3 <!-- This page is derived from /server/standards/boilerplate.html --> 4 <!--#set var="TAGS" value="essays upholding action" --> 5 <!--#set var="DISABLE_TOP_ADDENDUM" value="yes" --> 6 <title>What Is the Right Way to Upgrade an Installation of Windows? 7 - GNU Project - Free Software Foundation</title> 8 <!--#include virtual="/philosophy/po/upgrade-windows.translist" --> 9 <!--#include virtual="/server/banner.html" --> 10 <!--#include virtual="/philosophy/ph-breadcrumb.html" --> 11 <!--GNUN: OUT-OF-DATE NOTICE--> 12 <!--#include virtual="/server/top-addendum.html" --> 13 <div class="article reduced-width"> 14 <h2>What Is the Right Way to Upgrade an Installation of Windows?</h2> 15 16 <address class="byline">by Richard Stallman</address> 17 18 <p>It is commonplace in the computing field to urge users to “upgrade” to 19 newer versions of Windows (and other nonfree programs) so as to get 20 fixes for “security.” This conclusion follows from the assumption 21 that these programs are honest software, designed to treat the user 22 right. We do not expect that to be the case, and we know it is not 23 the case for Windows. Therefore, we make a different recommendation.</p> 24 25 <p>In fact, newer versions of Windows have exploits before they are 26 released. They are designed with various kinds of malicious 27 functionalities; see “<a 28 href="/proprietary/malware-microsoft.html">Microsoft's Software is 29 Malware</a>.”</p> 30 31 <p>Newer Windows versions contain added malicious functionalities; they 32 give Microsoft more power over the users. That is a reason not to 33 switch to a newer version. For some users, switching to a newer 34 version may require rewarding Microsoft with money and even buying a 35 new computer. We hardly want to encourage that!</p> 36 37 <p>Therefore we decline to support Microsoft by urging users to move to 38 newer versions; we do not treat the unintentional flaws of Windows as 39 more important than the intentional ones.</p> 40 41 <p>Our advice to those using any version of Windows is to 42 <a href="https://upgradefromwindows.org">upgrade to GNU/Linux</a>.</p> 43 44 <p>Supporting GNU packages on any version of Windows (or any non-GNU-like 45 systems) is not part of the GNU Project's core mission. Our slogan 46 is, “It runs best on GNU/Linux.” We cooperate with the users who wish 47 to maintain that support, because we may as well cooperate when it is 48 not difficult. We have no responsibility to continue doing so, but as 49 long as it is feasible and not holding us back, we have no reason to 50 stop.</p> 51 </div> 52 53 </div><!-- for id="content", starts in the include above --> 54 <!--#include virtual="/server/footer.html" --> 55 <div id="footer" role="contentinfo"> 56 <div class="unprintable"> 57 58 <p>Please send general FSF & GNU inquiries to 59 <a href="mailto:gnu@gnu.org"><gnu@gnu.org></a>. 60 There are also <a href="/contact/">other ways to contact</a> 61 the FSF. Broken links and other corrections or suggestions can be sent 62 to <a href="mailto:webmasters@gnu.org"><webmasters@gnu.org></a>.</p> 63 64 <p><!-- TRANSLATORS: Ignore the original text in this paragraph, 65 replace it with the translation of these two: 66 67 We work hard and do our best to provide accurate, good quality 68 translations. 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