What is Digg?364 Comments
- BossX, on 11/12/2007, -19/+138The only thing Windows has going for it are PC Games.
- bigpook, on 11/12/2007, -17/+100I like how he points out the casual piracy of windows. Back in the day, I started with DOS 5 and WIn3.1. It came with the machine but everything else I pirated. I never payed for MS software. It was way too easy to just pirate it. Besides, it wasn't like MS needed my money.
Anyways , I got older and stealing other peoples property became a turn off. And I wasn't about to start paying for it, a little bit here and a little bit there and pretty soon you had hundreds of dollars....
I discovered linux and took the time to learn it, while I still use windows at work, which is fine,I use linux at the house and there is no way I will ever go back to using windows. - Cheesehead3557, on 10/10/2007, -2/+48The people I know who do use legal copies of windows are those who obtained their computers from dell, comp usa, hp, ect. where it came pre-packaged. Most people order a computer that has a pre-installed OS, usually windows, so they see no reason to get rid of it since they have a legal copy already. They usually don't understand that the price is included though.
- toxicityj, on 10/10/2007, -26/+71I've got Vista and XP. And I gave Ubtuntu a month or so try-out and I don't see the appeal. Its ugly. its not as feature-filled as Windows. and I'm sticking to Windows. Call me a sheep. digg me down. w/e. I've tried all the OS's and I go back to Windows every time.
- nuclearpenguins, on 11/12/2007, -23/+58/raises hand
I'm one of the rare MS-fanboys you hear about.
Incoming thumbs down storm in 3, 2, 1... - gambit, on 11/12/2007, -2/+29Windows biggest asset is the backing of hardware/software manufacturers.
- davin510, on 11/11/2007, -13/+38dotancohen: "blah blah windows sucks blah blah im better than you b/c i use ubuntu blah blah"
- chugger1992, on 10/10/2007, -3/+26Linux is a hot tub with a small section of a deep end. Very deep. Windows is like one of the pools that goes shallow to deep, but the deep isn't as deep and Linux's.
You can use Linux for the basics like web browsing and the difficulties like the command line and such, but where's the in between? Linux users try to lure in "consumers" to the kiddie pool section, touting useability and cleanliness, but the core users usually just hang out in the insanely deep end that only their athletic bodies (metaphorical to computer experience) can handle without drowning.
Windows gets the section where you can be a beginner or advanced and still have a good sized section to look at. You can go from using Wizards (easy), to using dialoges (easy-medium), to the registry (medium), to actually hacking in (difficult).
Eh, this probably makes no sense, nothing ever seems as good when expressed through words for me. - Jambi, on 11/12/2007, -4/+25Spawn of the devil! You have given money to the Antichrist, he who will bring about hell on Earth! You must be possessed by his evil spirit! The power of Christ compels thee!
- throws some holy water on nuclearpenguins and then beats him over the head with the new Apple keyboard in hopes of getting the bad out - - cconger, on 10/10/2007, -5/+25I've heard nothing but complaints about the cost of Vista (which considering that there aren't bi-yearly releases like Apple) which actually costs the same as Maintaining versions with OS X. Which, effectively, makes it a non-factor.
- ArthurSucks, on 10/10/2007, -1/+18Everyone is completely missing the point. MOST people don't care what they are using. They just don't care. Click the "E" icon and go to MySpace, Click the envelope thingie and get my email. The magic gnomes slow your PC down, no problem, put the Dell restore disc in and reinstall. Problem solved. (Where's my Mp3s? Oh well...) The only ones using Linux or OSX are the ones who care what they're using. The rest of the world just don't care.
- scottc, on 10/10/2007, -5/+22The author has it backwards. Windows is "free" because it is perceived to be free by the vast majority of computer buyers. It is not easy to find a computer that is cheaper without Windows pre-installed, though hopefully Dell is leading the way to change that.
People who use cracked copies of Windows are a tiny minority outside of China, Russia and the third world. It might not appear that way to some geeks, but it's true. - djkouza, on 10/10/2007, -0/+16I agree that most people take software for granted. I have done on-site repair in the past few years and people always assume I can "just add office/photoshop/name the app" as if it were like going to the garden to pick another batch of flowers. I respectfully decline and even started stating when they call that they must provide all software discs. I have a macbook, and a compaq laptop (dual boot xp / Fedora 7) and misc desktops running xp/Fedora. Everyday I become more of a Linux "Fan-Boy" though...
- capiCrimm, on 10/10/2007, -4/+20is my sarcasm detector malfunctioning? In what sense does Windows allow for more exploration then Linux?
- D3koy, on 10/10/2007, -2/+18If you don't have walls you are homeless, and computer operating systems are the least of your problems...
- super_spyder, on 10/10/2007, -3/+18not all people use their computers as playstations some get ........ WORK done
- arunforce, on 10/10/2007, -1/+15You don't know many people...
- bieber, on 10/10/2007, -1/+15...you don't use anything Unix related, do you? In any modern, inexperienced-user-oriented distro, the root file system is hidden from the user anyways, so this isn't an issue at all. And why should they go about trashing file structures that have worked for decades, and break compatibility with all the other Unices out there, just for the sake of some idiot users?
Seriously people, think before you type. - skyshock1, on 10/10/2007, -2/+15If more manufacturers were allowed to sell PCs without an OS for cheaper prices, you might see slightly better adoption of free OS's.
- sliptech, on 10/10/2007, -0/+12Pirating doesn't give you viruses and spyware, being ignorant causes people to: 1. download virus/spyware ridden pirated software, or 2. infest their own systems with spyware/viruses (usually from clicking 'yes' or 'ok' uncontrollably)
- indyGuy, on 10/10/2007, -2/+14Everyone I know has a legal copy of Windows because everyone I know buys prebuilt machines from a major manufacturer. I upgrade my OS when I buy a new machine. Now that linux is available factory installed and at a discount, I think more people will opt for Linux. Saving a hundred bucks or so on a new machine may convince many consumers to switch.
- inactive, on 10/10/2007, -0/+12http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qHO8l-Bd1O4
Bill Gates: "Whats that?"
Stever Jobs: "It's an iHouse"
Bill Gates: "but theres no windows"
Stever Jobs: "exactly!" - remccain, on 10/10/2007, -0/+11DON'T UPGRADE THE GIRLFRIEND!
If you install wife 1.0, you will regret it for the rest of your life. - maexus, on 10/10/2007, -1/+11I do. Though, I purchased XP from my school for 10.00
- bmartin, on 10/10/2007, -0/+10That may be, but China and India are the world's most populous countries. I've visited India... it's one cracked copy of Windows after another. When you consider the fact that the "tiny minority" is actually smaller than the third world plus China, it adds up to a lot of pirated copies.
That said, dozens of people I know use cracked copies of XP. WGA does that to people. Most of them bought a computer with XP on it; when it came time to reinstall it (for a virus or whatever), they ran into problems. They're not avoiding paying for software, but the small trouble of finding a cracked copy is worth it for them so that they don't have to put up with MS anti-piracy headaches. - Amablue, on 10/10/2007, -0/+10What else would you purchase it then...?
Should I even ask? - GeneralFailure0, on 10/10/2007, -1/+10You can't prefer one tool over another?
- KungFuJesus, on 10/10/2007, -2/+11If you're not an expert user, you can't appreciate all the nuances of linux. Use whatever you're happy with
- hassanchop13, on 10/10/2007, -0/+8my laptop came with windows xp. its pretty legal.
so did my brothers computer, my dads computer, my moms computer, and almost everyone at my school. not to mention every computer at our school (except for the 4 or 5 mac labs... which run legal copies of osx)
you may not know anyone who bought a box copied of windows, but if you dont know anyone running legal windows, you need to get out more - barkingmonkeye, on 10/10/2007, -1/+9LOL @ the noobs
- Hindu_Wardrobe, on 10/10/2007, -0/+8I see your point.
- ajchavar, on 10/10/2007, -0/+7if shes deaf mute and blind she cant experience much of anything.
/swish - dafragsta, on 10/10/2007, -5/+12I think the article is taking for granted the fact that a good percentage of Windows users who pirated their copy of Windows didn't know there was an alternative to prating it. I think that's pretty presumptuous. I'm sure a more accurate presumption would be that most of those people had to encounter a retail Windows box or some news that Windows was a commercial (non-free) product. They just opted to pirate the software anyway. I think it's pretty naive to think that most pirates don't know full well what they are doing.
- nphase, on 10/10/2007, -1/+8When you think about it though, the CD that came with it pre-packaged is usually only an OEM restore disk, not an actual install disk. So that begs the license question anyways.
(just food for thought) - thedragon4453, on 10/10/2007, -0/+7Thats kind of funny to me. When I switched to Linux, my first thought was to do it the same way as Windows. Right click the desktop, click change desktop background.
For some reason, I didn't curl into the fetal position and scream for help. - dualscreenman, on 11/12/2007, -0/+7Wow bigpook, I didn't know you broke into random Microsoft warehouses to get your software.
Copying that floppy isn't physically depriving Microsoft of a copy of MS Office or whatever application(s) your pirated, and as such isn't stealing. It's copyright infringement. - CAD420, on 10/10/2007, -1/+8Not to mention that most pirated copies of XP are slipstreamed with SP2 and most if not all additional updates. Plus, they also come with the latest WGA hack so one can get access to future updates. So..back to sliptech's comment, there's no excuse there but pure ignorance on the user's part. If you're smart enough to pirate it, for christ sakes, at least be smart enough to crack/update it properly.
- inactive, on 11/12/2007, -3/+10Hey don't be silly - what about all those viruses!!
- atdigg, on 10/10/2007, -12/+18I agree completely I have XP free from work, I have it exiled on a partition that I only boot to it from time to time to install updates, I will probably delete it as soon as I will need more space on my HD.
- thebman990, on 10/10/2007, -0/+6I'm not sure where people get this "Apple charges for upgrades every single month!!1111!!"
According to Wikipedia, the release schedule went like this:
OS 10.0 released March 24, 2001.
OS 10.1 released September 25, 2001, which was a free upgrade for 10.0 users. (6 mos.)
10.2 released Aug. 24, 2002 (11 mos.)
10.3 released Oct. 24, 2003 (14 mos.)
10.4 released April 29, 2005 (1.5 years)
10.5 scheduled for October 2007 (1.5 years)
Also, every single version cost US$129 for all the features included. Not 5 separate versions with different feature sets depending on how much you fork over.
And the incremental upgrades are free downloads, i.e. 10.4.5, 10.4.10 - macoafi, on 10/10/2007, -0/+6When you pay for Linux, you are paying for a support contract. Red Hat, sans support contract, is called CentOS. It is free/gratis. I've never used Yellow Dog, but I'm sure you can download it, and the docs are likely online (hell, they're certainly available via the "man" command!), which you could save on a disk if you like. Monthly allocation? You pay by bandwidth for your internet? That is WEIRD. You should find a new ISP. Unlimited bandwidth is the standard this century.
You can get paid twice as much supporting Linux as you can supporting Windows. Throw in the bonus that HR knows that Linux people are flexible and can do UNIX if necessary, and that can pay off too. For that matter, knowing Linux makes it much easier for me to find my way around and fudge with OSX. Windows people...not so flexible. If it's not Windows, they're lost. - LordofShadows, on 10/10/2007, -4/+9I would never use a pirated operating system. But then again I never have paid for windows either and no I dont buy prebuilt computers.
- brufleth, on 11/12/2007, -0/+5Funny but all jokes aside the Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation gets a hefty bit of money from Microsoft and it is one of the largest charitable organizations in the world.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bill_%26_Melinda_Gates_Foundation - nickdngr, on 10/10/2007, -0/+5You're right, it is included in the price of the computer, but that doesn't make it free. Take two systems with the same hardware specs, one with Linux and one with Vista, the Linux model is about a hundred bucks less. That comparison highlights that the purchaser is paying for the OS; in your description it's hidden to the point of almost being a complete fabrication of the truth.
- coredump0x01, on 10/10/2007, -3/+8You've never been forced to reboot XP? So you're saying you've never installed/upgraded any drivers?
- rhyss, on 10/10/2007, -2/+7I prefer Windows personally, but given a scenario where a client wants something inexpensive, I have no problem recommending Linux, but I have to weigh their existing staff preferences.
But honestly, I respect what Linux is able to do, but as any experienced IT manager or consultant knows, it's not the smartest kid that always wins. There's more factors involved. You need to be able to play nice with the others.
I tried to be brutally honest in my post, because I see fanboys being just fanboys and wondering why Linux hasn't taken over the world. I get tired of reading about Ubuntu and Linux desktop of the year.
Here's a clue...Windows, Access, PowerPoint...these are user friendly names. The products seem approachable. What the hell does Linux, Ubuntu and GNU convey? My point is that if you want to cater to the unwashed masses, you must think like them or at least understand them.
FUD, $$$, laziness, stupidity, politics, luck...these are a few of my favorite things. Seriously, these are what it takes to beat Microsoft and just focusing on the technicals ain't gonna make it happen.
One more thing, stop being pricks and calling Windoze and Microshaft. It really just undermines your points. I'm sure I'm not the first person to say this. - CCmachined, on 10/10/2007, -1/+6not as long as the Ubuntu page on Dell is buried way within the site(!)
Linux needs some major corporate backing to get it out to consumers. But that wont happen until there's enough support for drivers etc. But that wont happen until theres corporate backing, and enough users.......... - ConEEE, on 10/10/2007, -6/+11Windows and OS X ARE free... with the purchase of a new computer. That's ultimately the reason consumers don't mind paying for the OS, because it's always part of the cost of a new computer. That's part of the reason why I'll never be interested in buying a new PC with Linux installed by default. Why go for free Linux when you can usually get free Windows, and then download Linux later?
- thedragon4453, on 10/10/2007, -0/+4My thoughts exactly.
"Hey, I've got a couple of cows and a chicken I'll trade you for that copy of XP..." - orbit1979, on 10/10/2007, -2/+6"This is why I pay no heed whatsoever to Digg comments..."
Yes you do. The fact that you explained your frustration over people's written opinions implies that you do pay heed to Digg comments and make Digg comments about them. -
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