Mostly Free

I’ve reached the point where I can’t take Microsoft seriously anymore. Years of bloated software, lies wrapped in marketing-speak, and the absolute confidence that we’re all too dependent to leave. After I switched to Apple, I finally had room to actually do something about it. Out went Office. Out went Virtual PC. And as of today, out goes MSN Messenger.

I can now officially say I’m 100% Microsoft-free. That feels good to say, even if it’s not completely honest.

The problem is I’m still not entirely escaped the corporate leash. AOL and ICQ are their own flavor of manipulative bullshit, but nearly all my actual friends live in that ecosystem, so what am I going to do? Tell them to switch just so I can feel morally pure? Half-free is better than stuck, I guess.

Fair warning: I can’t receive offline messages on ICQ anymore, at least not the way I’m set up. So if you reach out and I’m not online, it disappears. Text me. Email me. Or catch me when I’m around.