Three months after I installed a Windows 7 operating system (OS), bought from Ikeja, (the only place to buy an Operating System when you live in Lagos), I got a nasty message on my desktop: “This copy of Windows is not genuine.” Thanks to Microsoft Corporation, I was using its operating system to do so much work like surf the Net, log onto Facebook and check my email, so I owe them a duty to use a genuine Windows. But like most of you, I didn't have the money to procure a genuine Windows, and even if I had the money, I have never seen anyone who used a genuine Windows.
I didn't want to commit another crime of uninstalling and installing the OS all over again, so I allowed the message to hunt me for several days. One day, I decided to switch to Linux. I have not been disappointed with the switch to Linux ever since. It made my conscience easier and my load lighter that, even if by using a dual-OS laptop I could claim I do not deserve a guilty conscience before Microsoft Corp., I also deserve an OS that I can understand. Now I know why getting a Linux distro is so much difficult at Ikeja. I spent sixty hours (60 hours) downloading the 3.6Gb Fedora 17 distribution and about three thousand naira (N3, 000) for that OS. I think the money and time was worth it. I have felt freer and even when sometimes I use the Windows 7 system to surf the Net, I do not get that nasty feeling down my nerves whenever I see that message again: “This copy of Windows is not genuine.” This time, I wonder if I was guilty as charged, or even innocent and wrongly charged. We have much to be thankful to the open source community.follow me on twitter, @emeka_david or be a friend on facebook, nnaemeka david