[Kevin]

Thailand is a poor country that cannot buy software as we can. Instead of Microsoft lowering the cost of Windows XP, Microsoft is scaling it back immensely. In other words they are going to spend money to remake XP to sell a crippled version, even though it would be easier to just lower the cost. YES THEY ARE THAT GREEDY! Thats like Coco Cola going to a small country and taking a can a pop and dumping it half out onto the ground right in front of your face until it's half empty then saying "Here, I'll sell you what remains for half price" Microsoft did the same for Windows 98 where they actually took out Internet Explorer. This is just plain wrong. Theirs a fine line between trying to make some money, and going all out just to be wrong. I know most people hate my articles about Microsoft, but come on man thats just messed up. Does Microsoft need to buy you city and turn you all into slaves before you think, "Hey Maybe Billy Boy Isn't So Nice" Please give me much feedback on what you think of this evil act. Articles Below.

http://www.zogdog.com/theboard/album_pic.php?pic_id=84



Windows 98 Lite: http://www.easyhome....cal/w98lite.htm

Windows XP Lite: http://www.arstechni...1076000305.html

[thats why]

EVIL!!!! EVIL!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

[RoundelMike]

Thing is, Microsoft can be as greedy as they want. Windows is theirs. It's not some public commodity they're hoarding. Unfortunately, it's greed that makes the capitalist world go round and greed that provides everyone with all the wonderful products they enjoy.

Speaking of which, have you ever read Atlas Shrugged Kevin?

[stretch]

That is greedy.. but it is also good business sense. They are catering their product to a different audience.. It's like hardcover books and paperback: Hardcover is obviously nicer, but some people can't afford 30 bucks a book...
Yeah, it's not very nice.. but it's a great business tactic. There's a reason that billy boy is the richest man alive..

[Kevin]

No, I never read that book however my brother has it. Technically Microsoft is not breaking any rules. Their not doing anything illegal execpt the small lawsuits that popup every now and then. It's more on the line as dirty. I'm sorry but Microsoft is using their vast resourses to eliminate copetition by things like "Making Things Require Windows" like videocard companies and games have "Agreements" to fully suport Microsoft, and the game companies have to make their games using Direct X rather then their own platform. Game companies do NOT have to use Direct X. UT2K3 doesn't use Direct X. It requires a card that supports the same features as direct x but not direct x and thats why it works well in Linux right out of the box. Microsoft doesn't need anymore money and they arn't making their products to be nice. Most of you people don't even know about the "Other" operating systems. Why? Because they suck? NO because Microsoft covers them up. Runs Them Over. Microsoft along with it's team member SCO has been savagely attacking Linux. Trying to claim that Linux stole code from SCO's Unix. Which is NOT True.

Some Things Are Just Morally Wrong...

[RoundelMike]

Kevin, how would you have Microsoft act, from this day forward, that would be "morally correct" according to your definition? What would they stop doing or start doing? What businesses would they drop out of?

Understand, I'm not trying to be combative. I'm just curious.

[Kevin]

First thing, make quality software. it's so easy for Microsoft to fix the bugs in Windows but they don't. They keep them there so that you will buy the next version of Windows hopinh for better stability. Linux doesn't lcok up. No virus's or spam. NOTHING, and all they are is a bunch of regular people working on it. Microsoft needs better support and make better quality software. Also Linux is far more advance then Windows. Linux has no Registry to worry about, Automatic Driver Management (ADM), You can actually combine CPU's together OVER THE INTERNET to get more power. it's just amazing. Heck when you install Linux, it doesn't even need you to set up your internet connection. It does it for you. Right out of the box you can get online with out setting a single option. "0" reboots you never ever have to reboot for anything. Not even during installation and these are just a few examples. I use both Windows and Linux. Windows for games and Linux for everything else. Most of you have no idea what linux is capable and will never even give it a chance. Which I don't really care about. My friend last night was complaining that he has a virus, his computer is running really slow, he cannot delete some of his files, he has spyware, and the MyDoom virus he keeps getting in the mail. He considers these regular things. Your NOT suppose to get use to the bugs in Windows. Microsoft is suppose to fix them, but they don't. Instead they leave them in so you have to call tech support and pay your $35 dollars to ask why your programs arn't working. Heck do you guys even know that you can split your hard drive up and run both Windows and Linux, and they don't affect each other in any way. Just like having to computers. When you start you just choose the operating system you want to boot into. LongHorn is scheduled to come out ethier in 2006 or 2007 thats a LONG TIME!!! Linux will be SO MUCH MORE ADVANCE that Microsoft Can not catch up. Already having support for all the new stuff such as 64-Bit processors and Ethernet Cards 10,000 MB. Which are not even coming out for years. Thats Amazing, and if you can't find a driver, let ADM look at your hardware and actually some how make one that actually works. These are just some of the things that Linux can do and Microsoft can not. Not to mention that when you get Linux you get stuff like Open Office 1.1, built in messenging software that allows you to talk to MSN Messenger, AIM, Yahoo, IRC, ETC. OUT OF THE BOX. Stuff like Xine and MPlayer that playes EVERY SINGLE MOVIE FORMAT EVER. Windows needs to have, WMP for WMV, Divx Player for Divx Avi's, Quicktime for Quicktime, Realone for real player, Power DVD for DVD's and SVCD and VCD, ETC. You'll need atlease 5 different programs. HORRIBLE!!! Theres no such thing as popups in Linux, because Mozilla blocks them. Comes with many games of course. Heck some games do come to Linux also like UT2K3 and Neverwinter Nights (And Expansions) Heck Doom 3 is even coming. Also theres Wine and WineX that allows you to play a lot of Windows game in Linux. Theres all sorts of software free with Linux. Even buring software that my brother swears is better then any of Windows software. You guys infected, you believe Microsoft is all there is, I bet if you gave Linux a full chance you would like it. I would even be willing to help you out and suggest stuff to you. I'm not telling you to give up Windows all together. In fact keep it. Keep it for gameing, but for the rest, atlease try Linux. Most of you people are older so I am thinking you probably have a good understaning on how to fully use computers. If you are interested in me making a huge Linux disscussion, tell me and we can talk all about Linux and it's benefits. I can even post images. Keep in mind Linux is FREE. You can get the CD ISO's right on their websites. I'm sorry if my topic made anyone mad. That was not my intention. I just wish people woulf atleast look at Linux and consider it rather then just feeling that Windows is the only thing out there. Your Not In A Cage. heck, some of you don't even play games so Linux would be fully best for you. I was just like you guys. I didn't want to try Linux ethier. I thought it would just be a garbage freebie. I WAS WRONG!!! If you ever do use Linux, you MUST use the newest version. Older Linux's are not nearly as good. So if you want me to make a Linux disscussion please post. Thank You!

[stretch]

I am interested in Linux, but have been waiting for their hardware support for Laptops to increase, but maybe I should take another look.
I don't really think Windows is all that bad. I do think it's bloated, and full of crap that you don't need to run, but I just take all that off. My computer never crashes. Viruses and spam amount cannot be compared to Linux, bucause that is primarily due to the amount of people that use it. Of course there will be more crap written for windows, they have 95% of the market. It has nothing to do with the operating system itself, it's just what people write the viruses for.
I think that there are different levels of computer users that need different things, and Windows is right for a lot of them. I don't have any of the problems with my computers that you listed, but then again... I know quite well what I am doing. Personally, for people that know nothing, I would recommend buying a Mac in a heartbeat. osX is sweet. I think that most people are scared of Linux because (this may no longer be true) you have to know a thing or two about computer to run it.
One other thing to take into account is that the Marketing genius that is Microsoft has made it so you can't do without Windows. If you work for a major company, you need a windows computer in order to interface with their systems. Is there any real substitute for Office? Not really.. Sure, there are good word processors out there, but there is no substitute for Powerpoint (not one that does the job as well) or Outlook, or Access.
I know about all the other OS's out there. I haven't used Linux because I haven't had an extra machine, and didn't want to take up the space on my laptop, or install something that was doomed to fail (i have some pretty specialized hardware). That was a few years ago, now I don't install it mostly because I don't care. I can do anything I want with my computers, why would I change? Does Dreamweaver, Photoshop, my Pocket PC, Outlook, Illustrator, Cool Edit Pro, Fireworks and Flash all work on linux? Nope. These are things I run on a daily basis. Why would I install something that browses the internet better, or includes a better media player, if I can't do anything else that I want to?
As a server, obviously there is no substitue for Linux, but as a multimedia workstation/video editing maching/sound processor/gaming machine/mobile office/internet browser/photo editor, I have no choice but to stick with windows (or buy a mac, but those are really expensive).. the applications just aren't there.
If I am wrong, I am sorry. I do not know nearly as much about linux as you Kevin, so please correct me. That was just my take on it.

[Kevin]

All those programs, Linx has similar software that does the same as thoughs.

[RoundelMike]

Your lengthy post above was an intersting one, Kevin. It was kind of funny that you began talking about Microsoft's business practices and ended up plugging hard for Linux.

Look, I have Linux. I went to CompUSA last month and bought a real distribution - SuSE Linux 9.0. I paid $30 for it (I know I can download it but my dial-up prohibits me). Although you claim that no one knows how to dual-partition a hard drive for Linux and Windows, that technology has been around for years and it was no sweat for me to install both Linux and Windows on my computer. Okay, so I boot into Linux and everything comes up nicely. Using Gnome, I start exploring.

Linux set up my ethernet card with no problem but it couldn't recognize my US Robotics modem. Being a dial-up user, I need to have that modem working for internet access. So I dust of my old trashy P300, hook it up, remove the modem from my computer and install it in the old one, and install my internet software on the old computer so that I can get online. Okay, now I can finally start looking for linux modem drivers. In doing this, I tried to share my P300's internet connection with the Linux box, but I couldn't make it work - the computers never could see each other. No matter how much of the Samba help file I read, they would not interface. Anyway, I downloaded some drivers from US Robotics onto the P300 and copied moved the files on a CD-R to the Linux computer. After reading about an hour's worth of information on how to install the drivers on a Linux box, I take the modem back out of the old computer, install it back in the new one and try out the new drivers. And nothing happens. No workie. So no internet for the Linux computer. Oh well, I figure. So out comes the modem again and back into the old computer so that I can get on the internet somewhere on the network.

I figure that I'm going to be real smart and install this new Linux kernel that everyone is raving about becuase it supposedly has much better driver support and then hopefully my Linux world will be a happy place again. So I download this new kernel from kernel.org and it's in some weird compressed format. After reading tons of writing on how to install a new kernel I come away thinking that Linux users don't give instructions on something like that because it's just TOO easy and EVERYONE knows how to do it. But I print out some bare-bones installation instructions and get to work. Decompress...okay, done. Now lkuwgevi the heck out of the dilbvsdfsf and install siduvbeayrb with asiuvbas - now don't forget that on some systems you have to alisubviao the asdjn for the slvbaislbv to interface with the sdvjberai properly. Then you dance around your compuer three times, pray prostrate twice to Linus Torvalds and say "Kazaam!" and it's supposed to work. Whatever. After plugging away for two days, nothing happens and nothing works.

I end up with a computer with 20GB of disk space deticated to a worthless Linux partition that won't print, access the internet or my network, play games, or run any of my programs. But that Gnome, it sure looks pretty sitting there with it's antialiased fonts.

Now, after days of wrestling with Linux I decide the time has come to uninstall the whole thing and forget about it. I delete the Linux partition and re-size my Windows partition to fill in the Linux space. Then I reboot. And the friggin' Linux bootloader is still there. After searching for a while on the internet about how to delete the Linux bootloader, I find nothing (I guess no one ever does this). So now I'm pissed and I copy my C: to my 120GB network drive for backup and end up re-installing Windows XP completely.

And as Windows booted, I swear that outside my window I could see the sun come from behind the clouds and shine into my computer room, blessing me as my network installed automatically and I was able once again access the internet, boot without selecting "BOOT WINDOWS" and be free of the scourge that is Linux.

So that was my experience. Funny, I was thinking of playing around with Linux again. Then I remembered the hell that it was. Never again.

[Kevin]

OK guys! You won. For now on I will NEVER again speak anything about Linux. None of you guys like it and you guys pick my posts a part so I'll quit. Me talking about Linux just makes you guys hate me even more. I guess Linux is just for those people who know how to use it fully. I have my brother here to help set it up and I get to reak it's benefits. He used Linux a lot so he learned how to use it. Since none of you guys used Linux or used it hardly, you guys don't know how to set everything up. I guess I can't really blame you. Maybe in the furture Linux will become more user friendly on the desktop. Again, sorry for all the Linux News. I will stop talking about Linux and I will not even mention news about it.

[ZogDog]

I don't think anyone here wants to have you stop all together discussing linux, but I think it's the fact that you are a minority. I have to admit, I understood just what Mike wrote, all the intentional garbalee gook, but you know what? There are people who understand it.

My brother-in-law knows linux inside and out, here's his site www.witt.tv, and I have learned a little about it from him. The thing is, it's new kevin, and not as easy to get a hang of as windows is. I for one tried installing a linux partition 3 months or so ago. Boy, did I have some problems cause my understanding wasn't there.

I'm sure if I knew what the crap I was doing, I would use it, but until I can take a class or something, I don't know if I will give it another go around.

Linux is good Kevin, no one is discrediting that, it's just now you've come across part of the board I don't think you've tackled yet, the discussion part. We are so used to the news and cool updates you get, but now it's time to put on the linux armor and tell us why it's better. Not attacking Microsoft, but let's hear it man, give us Linux. I know I would like to hear of it's benefits.

[RoundelMike]

Kevin, we like you! I, for one, enjoy reading your writing. And where would the technology section of this board be without your news posts?

You are a major influence for me to try Linux at all and while my experience frusturated me, I recognize Linux's value and look forward to when we can all use open-source software and have it be as reliable and easy to use as Windows. It's just not there yet. But, from the way things are going, it looks like Linux is a big part of the future of computing and I do really want to learn about it. You're just head-and-shoulders above everyone else here in using that alternative OS.

I bet that if I had someone like your brother to teach me about Linux and walk me through problems when I encountered them, I'd be just as good with it as I am with Windows. If I had the knowledge to use it, you bet I'd be typing this on a Linux box right now.

Don't take my posts personally. I will know from now on to take it a little easier and not heartlessly assault you like I would...oh, Admiral or Sam or someone. Discussion is just part of my nature.

Understand, Kevin, that we like you and respect your opinion. I think that all of us would like to have the abilities that you have with computers. Please keep posting!

[Admiral]

That's true, the vast majority of tech posts come from you Kevin. I for one am appreciative. Disagreeing with one another is the joy of message boards.

[Kevin]

Wow man, thanks guys I appreciate the kind comments. For now on I am going to try and not insult Microsoft at all. Zog, just for you, when I get time I am going to write a lengthy topic disscussing some of the benefits you get with Linux. Also I will try and help you with anything I can. I'm new to the Linux world myself. We can learn about Linux together. Again thanks for all the nice comments. I really do appreciate that my topics are being enjoyed.

[stretch]

Let it be known that I do not have any negative feelings for you because of your posts (or any other reason). I was just stating a Pro-windows case: my own.

I will just say one more thing:

Quote

All those programs, Linx has similar software that does the same as thoughs.

There is no software that does the same thing as Photoshop, or Dreamweaver, or Flash, or Cooledit, or frankly most of the other ones. Those are the industry standard programs because they are the best. I will sacrifice and use a substandard operating system, in order to use the best programs available.

I now have another computer available, without any specialty hardware, so I will probably install linux on it next time i have the time. I have always wanted to play around with it.

[Kevin]

The special effects in the Matrix were all done in Linux.

[stretch]

That's 3d rendering.. notice how none of the programs listed involve 3D rendering programs. I realize that there are some good things out there for linux, but the stuff they used on the matrix was specialty stuff that they invented. They invented it for Linux, good for them. I have actually heard of a lot of 3d modeling that is done on linux nowadays. Something about how it processes data, it actually works better than macs. I don't know if that is still true with the G5 though.
But my point is just that there is no substitution for the programs I listed before... and that is literally the reason I use windows. I have no overt love for the operating system other than that..

[Kevin]

The Gimp! A program like Photoshop or Paintshop Pro. Won many many awards and has all sorts of features and even free documentation for if you need help. Follow the link below and check out "The Gimp"!





http://www.gimp.org/



Also if you would like me to post some 3D pictures rendered in the Gimp ask and I will post.

[RoundelMike]

[quote=Kevin]Also if you would like me to post some 3D pictures rendered in the Gimp ask and I will post.[/quote]

Sure, let's see them.