# READING

## " LE HOLD UP PLANETAIRE "

LE HOLD UP PLANETAIRE (The hidden side of Microsoft)
by Roberto Di Cosmo & Dominique Nora [Calmann-Lévy] - 92 FF

By QueST

I discovered this book thanks to Megastep (the hostile No 1 of Micro$oft ;-): he/it spoke of it to me and lent him to me so that I read it. This book is so passionate that I devoured him literally in some days! Roberto Di Cosmo is professor of data processing to the ENS of Paris (the Superior Normal school) and one of them principals " door word " of Linux in France. As much to say that he/it hates Micro$oft! ; -) and that these arguments are especially valid!

The book presents himself under the shape of questions / answers between the journalist Dominique Nora and Roberto Di Cosmo. This system to the advantage to be very living, of as much more that questions put by the journalist are far to be bad: it is indeed questions that everybody (including the general public!) puts himself. And, tirelessly, Roberto Di critical Cosmo intelligently her politics and products of Microsoft. Of the technical quality of the Microsoft products, to the experienced pressures by Bill Gates business, while passing by the demythification of the enterprise and of his/her/its be-saying advanced technological, all passed in magazine with lots of details, and the all in a clear language. One surrenders very account that the book has been written to touch the general public without falling however in the low-level pseudo-scientific vulgarization. This exercise, particularly difficult, is perfectly succeeded!

Roberto Di Cosmo makes the alternative " so-called " system apology therefore to the name of the liberty of the consumer and the free circulation of information. The customer must be able to choose his/her/its operating system and his/her/its software according to their qualities, and not because they are imposed him! Internet was able to develop itself/themselves thanks to the collective work of genius programmers, of them free software (therefore to the code source provided systematically in the goal to be able to make improve it by others) and of the almost bénévolat. The intrusion of Bill Gates and his/her/its doubtful standards and owners are seen therefore badly. And Roberto Di Cosmo to put in guard governments against her all strength and the pressure exercised by Microsoft.

It is necessary to also note that he/it speaks to two or three resumptions of Atari and the Amiga, just to say that these machines were way ahead of their time and had an operating system worthy of this name; -). It deserved to be greeted. To also note that he/it doesn't seem to appreciate too the Intels processors. ; -) To that rhythm, he/it goes to write soon in the Toxic Mag! ; -)

You understood him therefore: I recommend you warmly this book: he/it risks to become the bible of all those that oppose to the hegemony of Microsoft. It is the reference for all users of alternative " so-called " systems of which we add, us, atarists.