Stop Microsoft
All Things Microsoft => Microsoft Software => Topic started by: vertigo173 on 20 July 2004, 13:59
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I swear. Windows never changes. I got XP Home upgrade for my ME last year because Midnight Club II wouldn't play at all on ME. Windows kept telling me to install DirectX 9.0b. I already had it. I noticed that XP takes more resources, too. And, I noticed that it came with Pinball, Hearts, etc. Didn't those same games come with all their previous operating systems? Newer and better my ass. I've been having trouble deleting files these days. I Shift+Delete when I delete a file or a folder. But sometimes, Windows won't let me. It'll tell me that a 700MB file or folder is being used by another program. Sometimes I have to reboot three times just to delete an empty folder. And when I just can't seem to delete a very large file. I have to download a small 1MB file, rename it the same as the file I'm not allowed to delete, over-write the large file, then delete it! What the hell? All this because I wanted to play Midnight Club II. Although, I do have to say, ME is just as bad as XP. I've so far re-installed Windows ME and XP about 20+ times. Sometimes I have to re-install Windows 3 times in one day, because it will encounter an error. I hate Internet Explorer. All the pop-ups and highjacking and redirecting of my homepage is driving me crazy. I like Opera, but sometimes I can't view certain sites, because I think some sites are written especially for Internet Explorer. Also, Windows gets fragmented alot. And the built in Defrag tool doesn't always do the job. I just got Diskeeper 8.0 - it's great! But we shouldn't have to go out a buy third party software to do the things that Microsoft claims their operating system can do - such as empty the cookies after you close the browser. I learned on a Mac in school. I just wish I can afford one. I guess I'll have to force myself to learn Linux. Anyone else have the same problems that I'm having?
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I guess half a billion people are facing the same situation. The tragedy is that most of them think this kind of problems is natural, so they just put up with ms. Almost same thing as politics, there always will be people who think that they do not deserve something better.
Mankind is just getting what he deserves.
Pitty.
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Wait? You went from ME to XP. XP should be a whole load more stable that craptacular ME.
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You should have gone for Win2K.
Did you buy XP or, did you pirate it?
Win2K is far more secure than ME, and is more stable than XP.
ME uses a DOS kernel which is horribly insecure and unstable.
Win2K is NT5, and has a beter file system. NTFS is journalled, meaning that it keeps a log of your disk operations, if there is a power failure or Windows fucks up (more often the case) you are less likely to loose data.
Linux also uses a journalled file system.
You may not think it, but XP also has one advantage over Win2k, the configuration is also journalled, if you or Windows fucks up the registry, you can restore your system to how it was a yesterday, an hour ago, or even a month ago.
XP also takes up more resources, and has a Play School style user interface.
Boot time is also quicker than the previous versions of Windows.
The major resource hog seems to be the shit theme (don't worry you can turn this off) and the active desktop. This allows HTML files and web pages to be shown on the destop. (you can set your wallpaper to an animated GIF, JPG or an HTML webpage) This "feature" was introduced in Win98 and can be disabled in all other versions except for XP. Very few people actually use this "feature" but MS in their infinite wisdom has forced it up on everyone. (http://graemlins/fu.gif)
I use Windows XP, and like you, want to adopt Linux or get a Mac. My advice to you is read up on Linux, and check out the Linux hardware compatibility list (http://www.linuxquestions.org/hcl/index.php), before spending any money.
Setting up Linux can vary from retardly simple to fucktardedly complex, all will depend on your hardware and the distrobution you choose.
What specification is your PC?
Ps:
If you need to put up with Windows (at least for now), install a firewall and anti-virus, and last but not least don't use Internet Explorer.
Use a separate partition or hardrive for all your work, then if you need to reinstall your guaranteed not to loose it.
[ July 20, 2004: Message edited by: Aloone ]
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Yup, I've experienced all that way too much. The bulk of the problem lies in Windows Explorer, which is a true piece of shit in XP. XP is too bloated, too messy, too full of bugs. It's hopeless for Microsoft to ever get it right again unless they start from total scratch.
If you're gonna use Windows, use Windows 2000 - the last stable Windows OS. 2000 is XP without bloat and eye candy. Use that or use Linux or Mac. Wipe XP off that drive and throw the disc out.
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quote:
Pitty.
Pity only has one "t"
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quote:
Originally posted by JimmyJames: GenSTEP Founder:
Pity only has one "t"
Yeah, but then Mistah T wandered into the thread because he decided it had one T too few and... forgot where I was going with that. :(
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lol! :-D
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I swear. Windows never changes. I got XP Home upgrade for my ME last year because Midnight Club II wouldn't play at all on ME. Windows kept telling me to install DirectX 9.0b. I already had it. I noticed that XP takes more resources, too. And, I noticed that it came with Pinball, Hearts, etc. Didn't those same games come with all their previous operating systems? Newer and better my ass. I've been having trouble deleting files these days. I Shift+Delete when I delete a file or a folder. But sometimes, Windows won't let me. It'll tell me that a 700MB file or folder is being used by another program. Sometimes I have to reboot three times just to delete an empty folder. And when I just can't seem to delete a very large file. I have to download a small 1MB file, rename it the same as the file I'm not allowed to delete, over-write the large file, then delete it! What the hell? All this because I wanted to play Midnight Club II. Although, I do have to say, ME is just as bad as XP. I've so far re-installed Windows ME and XP about 20+ times. Sometimes I have to re-install Windows 3 times in one day, because it will encounter an error. I hate Internet Explorer. All the pop-ups and highjacking and redirecting of my homepage is driving me crazy. I like Opera, but sometimes I can't view certain sites, because I think some sites are written especially for Internet Explorer. Also, Windows gets fragmented alot. And the built in Defrag tool doesn't always do the job. I just got Diskeeper 8.0 - it's great! But we shouldn't have to go out a buy third party software to do the things that Microsoft claims their operating system can do - such as empty the cookies after you close the browser. I learned on a Mac in school. I just wish I can afford one. I guess I'll have to force myself to learn Linux. Anyone else have the same problems that I'm having?
First off, you likely upgraded over a shitty ass OEM install of Windows Me. Windows Me can be fairly decent if you don't have an OEM "preinstalled" version.
I've run XP now for some time, and I've never had any of the problems you describe. Most of those issues can be solved by not being a lazy ass bastard. If you'd fucking update your OS, run AdAware, and use firefox instead of opera and Internet Shithead, then things wouldn't suck for you.
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My Windows ME came with my Gateway PC. I purchased the XP Home upgrade for $90.00 at Fry's Electronics. I'm installing SuSE Linux 9.1 Personal Edition on my laptop at the moment. I partitioned my hard drive for my XP. I have a 40GB hard drive. After I installed Windows, I'm missing about 3GB of space - and that's not including the space taken up by Windows. Why is that? Are the manufactures of hard drives rounding off? 40GB = 37GB before operating system is installed. That's not right. What happened to, "You get what you pay for?"
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yes. they are cheap dudes.
drive manufacturers measure 1GB = 1,000,000,000 bytes, but a GB is actually 1,073,741,824 bytes.
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i heard there was a big lawsuit about that
but that makes for a new thread entirely...
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True, according to my calculations 40,000,000,000 bytes = 37.252902984619140625GB
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quote:
Originally posted by vertigo173:
My Windows ME came with my Gateway PC. I purchased the XP Home upgrade for $90.00 at Fry's Electronics.
crappy OEM install + upgrades (which are always crappy) = One shitty system. Hopefully you have a CD of Windows ME; you can do a full install of XP from the upgrade CD provided you have a CD of a previous version.
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I'm in the same boat, kinda... my XP disc (a legal one) got narf'd and won't boot anymore. it installs just fine, but it won't boot to save its life. I have to install 2000 and then run the upgrade.
it's not so bad though.
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Originally posted by JimmyJames: GenSTEP Founder:
I'm in the same boat, kinda... my XP disc (a legal one) got narf'd and won't boot anymore. it installs just fine, but it won't boot to save its life. I have to install 2000 and then run the upgrade.
it's not so bad though.
You could take the CD to a used CD store and ask them to polish it for you professionally. It would probably cost $5.00.
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I depends on what's wrong with the CD, if the foil side is damaged then your SOL.
You're an idiot, you should have backed the CD up when you first got it.
[ July 21, 2004: Message edited by: Aloone ]
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Originally posted by Aloone:
You're an idiot,
Shut up. (http://graemlins/displeased.gif)
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Originally posted by xeen:
It's hopeless for Microsoft to ever get it right again unless they start from total scratch.
Um, what's that word doing there? (http://smile.gif)
[ July 23, 2004: Message edited by: Shiver ]
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quote:
Originally posted by Shiver:
Um, what's that word doing there? (http://smile.gif)
[ July 23, 2004: Message edited by: Shiver ]
I agree. Microsoft never got Windows right.
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Sure Windows changes, I used to be able to search text within an ASP file, now I have to use a 3rd party file search utility to do it because the so-called registry "fix" doesn't work.
So something that worked perfectly well in DOS does not work in XP... I call that a big change! :D
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Jeeze Guys,
I can understand Vertigo173 and his POV, he's new here and hates Windows and is looking for a way out. But what about the rest of you? I haven't used Windows at home since Win98. I have never used WinXP or WinME and hope to never have to. OK, I do have to use Win2k at work and that bites, but why do you folks know so damned much about WIndows??? Do you like putting up with Microsoft's BS and passing more money to the people bent on killing Free and OS software and any semblance of choice in computing?
I guess that it just amazes me to come back to this site, I don't hang around much any more, and see the same people bitch like crazy about Microsoft for years and then read that they're still using it. And not only using it, but proficient in it.
I just don't understand.....
Maybe Bill Gates and his cronies have won after all.....
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Originally posted by BASHman:
Jeeze Guys,
I can understand Vertigo173 and his POV, he's new here and hates Windows and is looking for a way out. But what about the rest of you? I haven't used Windows at home since Win98. I have never used WinXP or WinME and hope to never have to. OK, I do have to use Win2k at work and that bites, but why do you folks know so damned much about WIndows??? Do you like putting up with Microsoft's BS and passing more money to the people bent on killing Free and OS software and any semblance of choice in computing?
I guess that it just amazes me to come back to this site, I don't hang around much any more, and see the same people bitch like crazy about Microsoft for years and then read that they're still using it. And not only using it, but proficient in it.
I just don't understand.....
Maybe Bill Gates and his cronies have won after all.....
You're an idiot.
Look all over the site. Hardly anyone here wants to stay with Windows. But it takes time. It's the conversion process.
So quit it.
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passing more money to the people bent on killing Free and OS software
:D Pay for Windows?
You must think we're retarded!
Who pays for Windows or MS software apart form OEM install, and large organisations?
Most of my friends pirate Windows!
If they pay, is only for one copy normally OEM install, and they install it on all of their other PCs. Most people I know haven't given MS a penny they run pirate copys of win2k, and if they bother with XP they just hack it.
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quote:
Originally posted by Aloone:
[QBMost people I know haven't given MS a penny they run pirate copys of win2k, and if they bother with XP they just hack it.[/QB]
Well, whether you're paying for it or not MS is still benefiting. Every machine running their software is reenforcing the monoculture, including its closed standards. In the long run, that makes it harder for any other alternatives to become successful, even if they are technologically superior.
Little changes start in small places. Like when your friend comes over and sees you're running Linux, then proceeds to ask why. There's a perfect opportunity for you to bring him to the other side. Really, substitute Linux with OS X, or your system of choice. When your friend asks for a copy of Office, ask him if he's ever checked out OpenOffice. If he tries and it still doesn't like it no harm done. I found a really great open source sound editor called Audacity (http://audacity.sourceforge.net/) the other day; now whenever someone asks me where to find a crack for Audition or Goldwave I can direct them there -- plus it's multi-platform (I'm now using it instead of Sound Studio on my Mac).
The first stage of resistance is disassociating yourself from that which oppresses you (http://smile.gif)
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Well, whether you're paying for it or not MS is still benefiting. Every machine running their software is reenforcing the monoculture, including its closed standards. In the long run, that makes it harder for any other alternatives to become successful, even if they are technologically superior.
Bedouin,
You're exactly right. And if you try to promote Linux software to potential converts and they see that you are still running Microsoft products, how impressed will they really be. Work or school are exceptions. We all need to earn money to live and to do that we need to graduate from school and if either of those two places require the use of Windows... well, in life we often have to do things we really don't like doing.
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Most people I know haven't given MS a penny they run pirate copys of win2k, and if they bother with XP they just hack it.
Aloone,
I don't condone piracy (theft) for a lot of reasons. What is it that Windows offers, other than possibly the ability to play a few games, that you can't do just as well with Linux, OSX, or one of the BSD's? If it's so important to use Windows that you're willing to steal it, then maybe it is a better operating system.
<picking self up off floor after fit of choking/laughing and total disbelief that I even wrote that...>
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You're an idiot.
Look all over the site. Hardly anyone here wants to stay with Windows. But it takes time. It's the conversion process.
So quit it.
WMD,
Calling me an idiot won't change the fact that you've been on this site for almost a year, that you're a site moderator, and yet you still use Windows. That's what I just don't understand. I will admit that when I first started with Linux, I just installed it on an "extra" PC I had kicking around, and left my Windows computer intact. Within a few months, I upgraded my Linux hardware and hardly ever used my Windows computer. Now the only time I even consider using Windows is at work.
This site used to provide me with a lot of help in converting from Windows to Linux. I still see some posts in the UNIX/GNU Linux forum helping people, with often excellent help and answers posted by you. But even you admit to still using MSWindows.
I just find it a bit sad that so many people here still use MSWindows and are evidently very proficient with the newer versions of it while writing all the time about how terrible it is.
That's all I wanted to say.
Maybe that makes me an idiot, but at least I don't use MSWindows.
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Sorry,
Did you say something?
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I'm going to step out of line here and apologize for WMD calling you an idiot, that was not called for. Unfortunately, most of the rest of what he posted was accurate. You're not winning ANYBODY over by implying that rebels that happen to dual-boot or not want to lose all their precious downloaded files are Billy boy's henchmen.
Here's the way I see it: there are Windows zealots, Linux zealots, and fence-sitters. I myself was a fence-sitter until one year ago. It was at that time that I started to realize that there was life beyond Windows. What did I do? I wasn't quite sure about this "Linux thing" quite yet, so I decided to try some OSS flavours of FTP and HTTP servers for Windows. You know the like, FileZilla and Apache and all those. These were so infinitely better than anything Microsoft had EVER offered that I started getting into the "alternative browser" market.
Then I discovered Firefox. It absolutely blows MSIE out of the water, but Windows has a little problem. It seems the two are inextricably linked together... no problem, some nice gents at Microsuck helped me find a program called XPLite. My primary problem with XP was that it had so little choice. With that program, I removed file protection and yanked MSIE. While I was at it, I supplanted Thunderbird where Outlook once stood.
After all this, I started to notice how much XP was starting to look like Linux, except for that damnable registry. So what did I do? One month ago today, I started to boot into Redhat on an almost-religious basis. Recently, some of the members here helped me discover the Linux-NTFS project, with which I managed to finally get Redhat to read all the files I had stored on the XP partition! As a result, I am now proudly booting into Linux on a daily basis. What is XP to me now? A file manager, which it always has been, little more. A prettied-up, bloated interface to BitTorrent until I can get the Linux client to work properly. Once Linux-NTFS supports stable writes to NTFS partitions, I'm going to dump XP altogether.
The point of the story is that not everybody transitions in a heartbeat. In fact, I doubt that even YOU, kind sir, were convinced that Linux was "all that" the first time you "kicked the tires." The point is that you need to meet the fence-sitters halfway. If you start waving the Linux flag too soon, bragging about "I can do THIS with a shell script, you bloody Windows fanboy" too soon, you WILL lose them.
In the fight against Microsoft, we need every person we can get - and if that means that we use Windows against its manufacturer for a time by using alternative products on it, what one might call guerilla warfare of sorts, then so be it. We'll kick their asses on their terms, our terms, and the terms of everybody in between. Until then, we need to convince people that OSS is NOT the Satanic force that M$ makes it out to be. Brash elitism will never accomplish that.
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I think it's equally important not to act like MS is evil too. That sure as Hell doesn't help. A lot of people don't see a problem with them, and they'll see it as "silly", "childish", "immature", and to some of them its "jealousy".
Stop being such a child about it, BASHman. Grow up and live in the world that exists if I know somebody who wants to run Linux, I sit down with them and we discuss what they really want and need to do. Many times, we decide that Windows is better for them, and then I help them learn to make it run well.
It's not hard, it only takes some work... just like it takes some work for most people to make Linux run at all.
Linux is not perfect for everybody, just like Windows isn't.
You lose, BASHman.
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WMD,
Calling me an idiot won't change the fact that you've been on this site for almost a year, that you're a site moderator, and yet you still use Windows. That's what I just don't understand.
I apologize for myself, now. And, I have an explanation for my use of Windows. I don't really want to; I have Slackware 10 installed and it's my preferred environment. It's the internet. Most of what I do with my computers involve the internet, and since Linux came to exist via the communication provided by it, access is that much more important.
However, I don't have access in Linux, because Linksys didn't write drivers for the wireless USB card I have. I've tried two sets of drivers for different chipsets, with no luck. Therefore I'm stuck in Windows World. I have a plan to buy a wireless-to-ethernet bridge device, and use my supported-in-Linux ethernet card.
Problem is, those aren't cheap, and I'm a 16-year-old without a steady income. I could probably afford it, barely, but I have other things I want to buy, as well. I can't decide yet.
That's why I still use Windows. I hope this is enough for you to understand.
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even YOU, kind sir, were convinced that Linux was "all that" the first time you "kicked the tires." The point is that you need to meet the fence-sitters halfway. If you start waving the Linux flag too soon, bragging about "I can do THIS with a shell script, you bloody Windows fanboy" too soon, you WILL lose them.
Midnight Candidate,
I agree with all that you posted about transitioning to OSS for those people first considering the move from MSWindows. I also agree that bludgeoning people over the head for using MSWindows when they are not aware or only beginning to become aware of the alternatives is counterproductive. My remarks were directed ONLY to those who were obviously aware of and well versed in OSS, AND who were members of MES (formerly FuckMicrosoft.com) AND who were still using MSWindows.
What I was trying to say was that if even those people still felt that they had to use MSWindows, then maybe there was something wrong. I wanted, but evidently failed, to to make clear the distinction between people who were new to Linux and OSS alternatives to MS products and those who were knowledgeable and had a good grasp of Linux and who professed a hatred of Microsoft, but who still used MSWindows.
I fully understand that there is a learning curve to Linux and that nobody can, will, or should just dump their data and OS and switch overnight. My remarks, were directed to people who, in my opinion, should have the skills to have converted entirely and yet were still using and learning the latest versions of MSWindows.
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I think it's equally important not to act like MS is evil too. That sure as Hell doesn't help. A lot of people don't see a problem with them, and they'll see it as "silly", "childish", "immature", and to some of them its "jealousy".
JimmyJames,
My remarks weren't directed to those people, they were directed towards members of this forum. Long term members at that, who were still using Windows. If you recall my first post in this thread, I specifically said that I understood the original poster's POV perfectly. My remarks weren't directed to Microsoft lovers who would have seen them as "childish" or "silly," at least not intentionally. I thought that I was posting to MicroSuck. I only was surprised/saddened to see that professed Microsoft haters with a good working knowledge of Linux, were still using MSWindows. I was trying to understand why that was, and also implied that if that were the case, maybe Microsoft would win and the "Linux Revolution" was a lost cause.
This is not a direct criticism of people who use both systems, but I find it upsetting that those who have the ability to switch and who claim to hate everything that Microsoft stands for, still use MS products.
Is that clear?
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However, I don't have access in Linux, because Linksys didn't write drivers for the wireless USB card I have. I've tried two sets of drivers for different chipsets, with no luck. Therefore I'm stuck in Windows World. I have a plan to buy a wireless-to-ethernet bridge device, and use my supported-in-Linux ethernet card.
WMD,
My turn to apologize. That is a perfectly rational reason for using MSWindows. I withdraw any criticism I may have made of your use of both OS's. I hope that you can get set up soon with internet access on Linux. You'll love it.
Everyone,
I guess I started a bigger shitstorm here than I had intended. What I was trying to point out is my disappointment if people who apparently had the knowledge, equipment and ability to switch from Microsoft to a good alternative AND who were members of a forum whose name was FuckMicrosoft.com still used MSWindows, then Linux, the BSD's and OSX were never likely to become mainstream OS's. That was my whole point. No criticism of newbies transitioning to OSS, no criticism of people still learning and weaning themselves off Microsoft, no criticism of people still getting their hardware together or anything like that was intended.
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Pay for Windows?
You must think we're retarded!
Who pays for Windows or MS software apart form OEM install, and large organisations?
Most of my friends pirate Windows!
[/QUOTE]
Where I come from 95% of people have illegal Windows and other Ms products , and noone even thinks aboute buying Windows cose a legal version costs 10 times more than a pirat wersion and is just as "good" as the oryginal one