Hiding MS middleware.

[Master of Reality]

http://news.com.com/2100-1001-922066.html
 

quote:The control offers four different choices for changing the Windows desktop and Start Menu: "Computer Manufacturer Configuration," "Microsoft Windows," "Non-Microsoft" and "Custom."

They will just hide their own products if the user choose non-microsoft. This means that they will be leaving windows bloated from all this extra software that you cant use but is taking up plenty of space on your computer.

[Xenoran]

I really don't see what the DOJ thinks they are going to acomplish by making the OS more customizable to the OEMs. I mean, has anyone actually seen what the OEMs already do to their systems? All they'd do is replace the middleware with shitware. Removing the middleware will just make it more difficult for the consumer to get the OS to actually work. OEMs don't give a damn about the quality of the software they put on their systems... as far as they're concerned, your future desktop is ad space and they use it as such.    

[ May 24, 2002: Message edited by: Vincent ]

[Xenoran]

Oh, and has anyone noticed the new anti-piracy features that SP1 are supposed to bring? I wonder how many hours that'll be cracked in...

[Master of Reality]

probably around 4.2 hours

[hoojchoons]

This is by far the stupidest move on M$'s part, I've ever seen! Instead of making their monopolistic software optional, they'll just continue importing it but they'll be giving you the option not to to use it!! Is this stupid or what?   :eek:

[Xenoran]

Well, I'm glad they aren't allowing the OEMs to completely remove it... They already screw their users out of a real Windows disk, they shouldn't be allowed to screw the users out of software their Windows license entitles them to as well.

[Ctrl Alt Del 123]

Well, I'm happy with my Corperate Edition of Windows XP, free of all OEM bradning and crapware. Also glad that I can fully uninstall Winblows Phone Home Messenger.

[Heru]

quote:Originally posted by Ctrl Alt Del 123:
Well, I'm happy with my Corperate Edition of Windows XP, free of all OEM bradning and crapware. Also glad that I can fully uninstall Winblows Phone Home Messenger.

Unless you get yet another crack, you won't be able to install SP1 on top of it.  MS is making it impossible to instll SP1 and future service packs on top of Corporate Edition.  Nice, huh?

And windows messanger is easy to uninstall in any version of XP or 2000.

Oh an how much do you want to bet that you'll have to leave IE installed, although you don't supposedly need to use it?

[Xenoran]

quote:Unless you get yet another crack, you won't be able to install SP1 on top of it. MS is making it impossible to instll SP1 and future service packs on top of Corporate Edition. Nice, huh?

Actually, with a few proper steps he would be able to continue using that version. MS is only blocking a couple known CD keys, apparently they've never heard of a key generator... which one now exists for XP. All someone would need to do is use it to generate a new key and then follow some steps to change the key within Windows, reboot, and enjoy SP1.

[Ctrl Alt Del 123]

AS there is a crack for Office XP and it's SP1, there will be a crack for Windows XP SP1.

I already know how to uninstall Winblows Messenger, but now it's easier for home users to do.

[Calum]

personally i think it should be illegal to ship any software preinstalled. This would make it normal for people to buy whatever software they wanted. And it's no use saying 'most people won't know how to install yadda yadda' because if it was illegal, they would learn pretty quick how easy it is.
This would enable people firstly to choose what OS(s) they want and secondly to choose how much software they want to get too, and how much fuckware they want to leave in the shop. I believe this would revolutionise the software market, and it could only be good. I also think it would be the end of all software monopolies, since the compatibility/cross platform beast has almost been slain anyway

[Master of Reality]

quote:Originally posted by Calum:
personally i think it should be illegal to ship any software preinstalled. This would make it normal for people to buy whatever software they wanted. And it's no use saying 'most people won't know how to install yadda yadda' because if it was illegal, they would learn pretty quick how easy it is.
This would enable people firstly to choose what OS(s) they want and secondly to choose how much software they want to get too, and how much fuckware they want to leave in the shop. I believe this would revolutionise the software market, and it could only be good. I also think it would be the end of all software monopolies, since the compatibility/cross platform beast has almost been slain anyway

but there are lots of people who wouldnt even know how to install an OS. There would have to still be  computers that come pre-shipped with an OS, but they need to have a wider range of OSes found on the computers instead of just windows.

[Calum]

no there would not have to be computers shipped with an OS. it is not hard. how hard is it to drive a car compared with installing an operating system? and yet everybody who wants to use a car learns, and what's more spends thousands on the bits of paper to make it legal. If it was necessary for people to install their own OS, they would all figure out how to do it pretty quickly, also on the other side systems would get EVEN EASIER (though i'm not sure how that could be done!) to install.

The problem stems from preinstalled OSs. If the OS is allowed to be preinstalled then there will always be incentives for one seller to push one particular OS. If not then it would actually be in the seller's interest to push more than one, explaining about dual booting and so on.

That's what i think anyway!