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MS DOS: A Eulogy
roadhog95 writes: "Love it or hate it, I'm sure everyone's got a love story or traumatic memory of the infamous MS-DOS. Byte magazine reports on the passing away of DOS in light of the recent Windows XP launch. Even Regis Philben stopped by to pay tribute: 'Bill... Is that your final command prompt?'"
Can be found HERE
They sung Ave Maria? What kind of crack-rock shit is that?
--
"What do you want me to do? Whack a guy? Off a guy? Whack off a guy? Cause I'm married."
it sucked..
I just want to say what bitchslapping cunts Taco and friends are.
Captain Pedantic
Xtra problems
Xtra patches
I'm disappointed with Linux. I like learning new concepts, but there are endless problems getting this OS to RUN. I've had so many different problems. My main gripe is that I haven't found any useful information to assist me. I've searched Linux sites looking for clues that just never panned out. I've had about fifteen various problems using Linux and I've never found an answer for any. User forums? You ask a question and get twenty separate responses, and one by one they don't work. I can't stress that enough: the solutions *don't* work, and you waste time on red herrings. When facing unfathomable Linux problems (like not seeing my NIC any more) I just re-install the thing. I hate taking the easy way out, but that's the reason for it - it IS easier than having to endlessly investigate the matter, trying unsuccessful methods. I like challenges and I like hard work, but those necessitate a successful outcome. If I spend 5 hours looking and get an answer, I don't consider it a waste. I don't like spending an evening looking for a non-existent fix or reading dozens of pages of alleged solutions to find that they don't do the job and "Well, nobody knows the answer."
Why is Linux popular with some?
1) It's stable; it never crashes or has to be rebooted
Not true; I've had my Linux box freeze up on me when using KDE or Gnome. But even if it didn't crash, let's weigh that against the difficult problem resolution and lack of sufficient documentation. What's more important, not crashing/rebooting, or being able to do your work and solve problems quickly and permanently?
2) It's free!
Define "free." Time or money? You may have to pay to buy a distro, but Linux programs definitely are free. That doesn't mean I should use them simply because of this factor. Supper in a soup kitchen is free, too, whereas dining at the Four Seasons might cost you $100. Which meal was tastier and more satisfying? The bowl of beef broth, or the filet mignon?
Regarding the matter of time spent, how long will it take the average user to get the Linux apps running? To get the Linux OS running? To find drivers? To locate patches? To manage some sort of successful resolution of a confusing problem? Not even the most rabid Linux user can tell me that installing and setting stuff up is quicker and easier than on Windows. It's just not true. With Windows, I click "Setup," and it installs.
The programs I need run on Windows. I can't even guess what their Linux equivalent might be, if such applications exist. And if they do, who knows how much hassle and sweat it will cost me to get them running under Linux, assuming they CAN run.
I don't have a problem with new challenges. If every, most, or even SOME of the problems I've had with Linux could be resolved with hard work, I wouldn't be writing this. It's the wasted time that makes me disagree with "Linux is free!"; the failed solution; the wild goose chase and all the aggravation that does make Linux costly. If I have to pay money for an application that's up and running in five minutes so I can start working, so be it. My goal is using the app, not trying to figure out why it won't run. My goal does not include the possibility of devoting an evening trying to get something going only to finally shrug in disgust and give up.
4) It's open source!
I'm not a programmer; I don't care.
5) There's plenty of help available
I've never seen any useful hints from either documents or users.
6) Microsoft sucks!
This is the motto of many Linuxlovers. If you removed Microsoft from the equation and both Windows AND Linux were free, the Linux user base would be reduced to perhaps a third; maybe less. This would constitute the people who really like using Linux and would choose it as their OS of choice regardless of external circumstances.
hmm..... maybe up ahead.
Hell or even worse - HP-UX 9...
You have a valid point, but it is sad, isn't it to realise just how many human lives have been wasted by Microsofts bug-ridden software.
Although Microsoft have not actually committed genocide, they must have wasted the equivalent of a few thousand lives if you count all the wasted hours spend looking at BSODs and rebooting...
For a minute there I thought Bill Gates died of Anthrax! That damn lucky bastard.
eTrade SUCKS
I reading this from The Slashdot Privacy Watch. They know a LOT!
An Open Letter to VA Linux Concerning Privacy on Slashdot
To whom it may concern,
It has come to our attention that Slashdot is building a detailed database of every visitor and user of Slashdot. This database includes, among other personal details, an address history which permanently records every IP address assosciated with every Slashdot user and comment for all time. We are concerned that this database is a signifigant Intellectual Property asset that may be abused in the event of a sale of Slashdot by VA Linux to a third party.
In addition, we feel that keeping a permanent and indelible record of every IP address used to post every Anonymous comment on Slashdot erases whatever hopes of anonymity that endangered or threatened users may have had. To name two examples, Chinese dissidents and corporate insiders can have no expectation of anonymously revealing civil rights violations and corporate abuse.
It is our hope that given these concerns, VA Linux or Slashdot may choose to provide an opt-out option to users, whereby users could choose not to be tracked and profiled if they so request. Some discussion has been made of a Slashdot subscription service; perhaps one revenue stream for Slashdot would be to sell Privacy Rights. For a low yearly fee, a user could purchase the right not to be tracked, profiled, and logged by IP address.
Whatever steps are taken, it is our hope that Slashdot will address the current privacy concerns in public to allay our fears and to promote open discussion.
Thanks again for creating one of the most popular sites on the Internet, and all the best.
-The Slashdot Privacy Watch Team.
I am reading this, it make me VERY ANGRY. You read their whole web site! Tell me, true?
And no, I don't normally talk like this when not anonymous...far from it.You'd be surprised if you knew who I was (and had heard of me).I'm generally full of info and sweet reason. Or WAS. Much more of this and I will know from first-hand experience where trolls come from.
I agree with you 150%. I am not a karma whore, and never was. I could care less if I am modded up on something I say. But, when I am modded down for something usefull saying that I am being redundent, thats what pisses me off to no end.
/. for close to 4 years now, and it truly has gotten bad with moderation. I would rather have them delete completly offtopic comments (like the goatsex crap) and keep everyone at the same level then go through this crap. Which, BTW, /. *DOES* delete comments. I posted something about 2 months ago saying how I was pissed about getting modded down on something, and what a suprise ... it was deleted. Of course, they will deny it, but that wouldn't be shocking at all. I could understand deleting it from the archives, but not when its still on the front page.
I have been reading