{"id":8473,"date":"2025-09-23T07:33:14","date_gmt":"2025-09-23T13:33:14","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/interestingauthors.com\/blog\/?p=8473"},"modified":"2025-09-23T07:33:14","modified_gmt":"2025-09-23T13:33:14","slug":"freetards","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/interestingauthors.com\/blog\/experience\/freetards\/","title":{"rendered":"Freetards The Author’s Guild and Exposure Marketing"},"content":{"rendered":"\n

Some months ago a discussion thread on the Author’s Guild site about Anna’s or some other “free ebook site” got me my first strike because I pointed out the users of such virus laden sites were Freetards<\/a>. You see, nobody on that site keeps up on marketing or technology. The other day the AG magazine\/newsletter showed up and just a few pages into my bathroom reading was their No Banned Words Pledge<\/a><\/em>. I laughed so hard . . . well, use your imagination.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Definitions<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

Incorrect definitions can be found at Urban Dictionary<\/a> and Wordnik<\/a>. These are the Microsoft funded definitions. I remember the word surfacing in the 1990s when most people had dial-up Internet. What else was happening then? Microsoft was desperately trying to push DEC and its VMS operating system out of corporate data centers so the home hobbyist x86 computers running their operating system could occupy it. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Shenanigans happened. Compaq bought DEC and immediately tried to kill off VMS. What is now Homeland Security paid Compaq and Microsoft with offers of lifetime vacations in CIA Black Sites. Why? The NSA, CIA, Defense industry, most metal mills and nearly all nuclear power plants used the platform because it had up-times measured in decades. A robustly configured Windows box might<\/em> make it a week. Most had to be rebooted multiple times per day.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Reboot<\/p>The Microsoft Solutions to Everything<\/cite><\/blockquote><\/figure>\n\n\n\n

Story Behind the Story<\/h3>\n\n\n\n

The Janet Reno investigations of Microsoft lead to Bill Gates testimony before Congress<\/a>. Despite Google’s AI answers, you should be able to find C-span video of the testimony where Bill Gates stated Linux was a serious threat. Besides illegally threatening Dell and other hardware vendors, Microsoft tried to push Midrange computer vendors out of the data centers with bogus studies reporting lower Total Cost of Ownership for Windows vs. their products. They also went after Linux with similar bogus studies.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

2003<\/a> 2010<\/a> 2023<\/a><\/p>\n\n\n\n

Every few years you can find one some magazine actually reported on. Their corporate testicles really are in a vice now though.<\/p>\n\n\n

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\"\"\/<\/figure>\n<\/div>\n\n\n

Linux Mint<\/a> and MX-Linux<\/a> run just fine on i7-gen4 computers. PCLinuxOS<\/a> really likes older hardware though the initial desktop experience might take a bit of getting used to. It does have a very friendly community behind it and you really can customize it with the desktop of your choice.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

So, in a hopeless attempt to eliminate Linux from the world, Microsoft funded the definitions you find at those two dictionary sites.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Exposure Marketing<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

The Christmas market is upon us. Given the uncertainty of tariffs, many are hoping books will once again become a go-to gift. It should come as no surprise you will find endless conversations about marketing and book reviews in the Author’s Guild forums. It should also come as no surprise that even Publisher’s Weekly<\/a> is allowing vendors to use its list to SPAM authors and publishers about Exposure Marketing services.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Exposure Marketing<\/em> is always a waste of money.<\/p>Roland Hughes<\/cite><\/blockquote><\/figure>\n\n\n\n

Understanding What Freetards Are<\/h3>\n\n\n\n

To understand this, you have to understand what Freetards are and how the Internet works. In case you can’t see the featured image.<\/p>\n\n\n

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\"Freetard<\/figure>\n<\/div>\n\n\n

You’ve all done this:<\/p>\n\n\n\n