Why do they put up with it ?

[H_TeXMeX_H]

Today I've had just about the worst experience possible with M$ Window$. I had to use it at school for a quick in-class project. Need I say that nothing worked properly and that our group would have been done hours earlier if we had been using any other OS capable of minimal office tasks. IE kept crashing reapeatedly, Word was very difficult to work with (as usual), Powerpoint was not as bad but still had stability problems, and the tons of pop-ups warning you of this and that error or security related shit (as if they really cared or could do anything about security). It was hell. Takes me back to the not so good old days of using Window$. And there was only one question on my mind ... why ... why the fuck to they use it ? Everyone there just took it up the ass as if it were a normal part of life. I suppose I'm not excused from the rapage, as I too used Window$ for a long while, but only because I didn't have any alternative. Everyone in that class knew about the existance of at least Macs (the teacher uses a Mac). So why ? Why do they put with the shit ?

I put up with Window$ for so long because there was no alternative at the time (or that I knew of). I knew about Macs but found it ridiculous that you had to buy a whole nother computer to use the OS. Not to mention that I do not like OS X or any other Mac related OS I've tried. Most of the people there do know about Linux, surprisingly, but as they've said before "you gotta be crazy to use Linux".

[worker201]

At school, there's nothing you can do but suck it up and deal.  Of course a lab exercise like this, when everyone can see that Microsoft sucks, is a great time to bring up Linux.  All your classmates have heard that "you gotta be crazy to use Linux".  But have they heard "Linux is better in so many ways"?  Quite frankly, this is your chance to talk up Linux.  Whip that live cd out of your back pocket - you do carry one everywhere you go, right? - and show them the real shit.  Or bring a laptop to class and dazzle people with your pornographic desktop wallpaper - oops, I mean dazzle people with your lack of antivirus software, your free art program, your free word processor, and all the other shit.  If Windows was as ridiculous as you say it was, show them that there is an alternative.

However, make sure you're not exaggerating.  After you've been free of Windows for awhile, everything about Windows seems to suck royally.  But it's a mistake to ramble on about inconsequential shit - "In a real fucking operating system, you can see the date next to the clock" - that just alienates people.  If Windows is truly fucking up, causing you to not be able to get work done, show them how Linux is different.

[Pathos]

heh well I don't use ie, don't use word, don't use powerpoint, don't update since sp2.

If you use XP and know how to look after it, pack it with very nice freeware its alright.

[Calum]

it's because they're all apathetic morons.

this is the answer to most "why" questions in the 21st century. why hasn't anybody stopped the entire world marching off to war? Why would we rather escalate paranoia on a global scale instead of making some social progress? Why is there massive waste and massive want on our planet with no administrative setup to redress the balance? why is it impossible to get a decent cup of coffee from a machine?

etc

[pofnlice]

Why don't the make self pleasing condoms?

Another thing...

Why czan't they make blow up sheep more life like? Errr...so I've heard...

[H_TeXMeX_H]

The laptop idea sounds good ... maybe I'll get a wireless card for it too so I can use the internet