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Longhorn Drops 'My' Prefixes

Posted by CmdrTaco on from the but-how-will-i-know-who-owns-it dept.

ryanjm writes "Microsoft has decided to drop the "my" prefixes for Longhorn. Instead of "My Computer," it will be just just plain simple "Computer". "

27 of 1,037 comments (clear)

  1. Brilliant! Simply brilliant! by daniil · · Score: 5, Funny

    Can't wait what they'll come up with next!

    --
    Man is a slave because freedom is difficult, whereas slavery is easy.
    1. Re:Brilliant! Simply brilliant! by shamowfski · · Score: 4, Funny

      Next, they'll remove "Computer" and "Documents". Leaving you to navigate a virtual quagmire of ""'s and the ever elusive "". Crazy "" always where least expect it. Right beneath "".

    2. Re:Brilliant! Simply brilliant! by KiloByte · · Score: 4, Funny

      "Our computer" (old "My computer")
      "Collective" (old "Network neighbourhood")
      "Contact with the masses" (old "Internet" -> MSIE)

      Toss in a red-and-yellow UI theme, a sicle&hammer icon and the Internationale playing in the background...

      --
      The creatures outside looked from Alt-Right to Antifa; but already it was impossible to say which was which.
    3. Re:Brilliant! Simply brilliant! by TheWanderingHermit · · Score: 5, Funny

      "Our computer" (old "My computer")

      Actually, that's the next step. They get us used to just "Computer" and "Documents", then they'll change to "Our Computer" and "Our Documents" as they gradually take control of everything on the computer. Then the ultimate in simplification. You'll boot the computer and, instead of icons, you get:

      All your base are belong to us.

    4. Re:Brilliant! Simply brilliant! by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 5, Funny

      The MyDoom virus will also be renamed, confusing some video game players.

    5. Re:Brilliant! Simply brilliant! by Suicyco · · Score: 4, Funny

      In the imaginary world of star trek.

      You do realize its not real, right? Its just an entertaining movie? That scene was hilarious.

      What, his typing speed is what actually bothered you? How about his instant knowledge of MAC molecular modeling software, knowing the entire mac interface, making invisibile aluminum, etc. etc. THAT all made sense, but how did he type so fast?

      And we all know you can travel in time by flying around the sun! And that giant whale creatures fly through space and kill planets....

      But man - theres NO WAY he could type that fast! Its all bullshit I tell you!

  2. Uh oh... by johndierks · · Score: 5, Funny

    How will I know whose files they are?

  3. My My... by nweaver · · Score: 5, Interesting

    My My, what a shocking change....

    I guess it means that with the new DRM technology, it really IS no longer your computer.

    --
    Test your net with Netalyzr
    1. Re:My My... by darkjedi521 · · Score: 3, Interesting

      The thought of having your operating system "expire" on you if you don't pay a renewal fee (the ultimate DRM concept) is rather frightening, to say the least. I think that would actually be something disturbing enough to your average person to get them to consider alternative operating systems.

      DEC/Compaq/HP have been doing that for years. If you let your VMS OS and application licenses lapse, the system locks you out. You can only login on the system console, the network stack won't load (due to expired license), and any licensed apps won't run. Its been done before, is being done, and will continue to be done for quite some time.

  4. And in the next release... by MarkusQ · · Score: 3, Funny

    And in the next release, they'll replace it with "Our".

    --MarkusQ

  5. In related news... by Xaroth · · Score: 4, Funny

    Apple picked up the prefix at auction on the cheap, along with the now much-maligned 'e' prefix and several other vowels.

    Later, at a press conference, Steve Jobs announced the new, updated G5 eMy eioMac. Old MacDonald could not be reached for comment.

    --
    That green slime had it coming.
  6. Oh the irony by suso · · Score: 4, Insightful

    What's funny about this is that the same people who needed to be coaxed into using a computer by prefixing common icons with "My" will now further be confused because they will think that the folder is somehow different in its function.

    "But that's not *my* Videos, it must be someone elses. Doesn't that have to do with it being multi-user?"

  7. finally by big+water · · Score: 5, Funny

    FINALLY, after all these years, real change!

  8. An end to a tech support nightmare. by MichaelKaiserProScri · · Score: 5, Funny

    Helpdesk: Double click on "My Computer"

    User: I can't see your computer.

    Helpdesk: No, double click on "My Computer" on your computer.

    User: Huh?

    Helpdesk: There is an icon on your computer labled "My Computer". Double click on it.

    User: What's your computer doing on mine?

  9. lemme get this straight... by Thud457 · · Score: 3, Funny
    so it's no longer " My computer"?

    Such arrogance, Bill!


    Ohhhh, I get it, built in P2P folders for "Pictures" , "Videos" and "Music". Now it all makes sense. And with industry-leading Microsoft security. (I didn't say WHAT industry... haw haw!)

    --

    the preceding comment is my own and in no way reflects the opinion of the Joint Chiefs of Staff

    1. Re:lemme get this straight... by AKAImBatman · · Score: 3

      Could be worse - it could be renamed iComputer.

      Microsoft names everything else "Microsoft XYZ", why not your computer? i.e.:

      Microsoft Windows
      Microsoft Word
      Microsoft Excel
      Microsoft Computer
      Microsoft Documents
      Microsoft Music
      Microsoft Network Places
      etc.

      Of course, if they wanted to be REALLY evil, they could name it the "iOpener". (I always think of an electronic can opener when I hear that.)

      --
      Javascript + Nintendo DSi = DSiCade
    2. Re:lemme get this straight... by wo1verin3 · · Score: 5, Funny

      Thank goodness... when I was working tech support you have no idea how many times the following happened:

      Me: Can you right click on my computer
      Them: [silence]
      Me: Hello?
      Them: How can I click on your computer?

    3. Re:lemme get this straight... by dotgain · · Score: 3, Interesting
      It was pretty slow even on cable but pretty cool.

      Ah, yeah. I had to grab some files off my PC at work, I opened a VPN connection there, went Start->Run , typed (for example) \\10.10.10.20\myfiles.

      More than a meg of traffic went over that VPN before the windows was populated with (ten) icons.

      SMB SUCKS. It's terribly ineffient. You might as well convert the binary to ASCII, ie 1010110110101 and then XML it, ie <BinaryDigit Value="1"/><BinaryDigit Value="0"/>... and then FTP it. You'd still be more efficient than SMB.

  10. Who wanna bet... by SharpFang · · Score: 5, Interesting

    every user will end up with "My Documents" directory right beside the "Documents" one?
    I already have "Moje Dokumenty" (original name by Windows with polish localization) and "My Documents" right next to it, created by some dumb program.
    Windows resides on D:, but of course there's "Program Files" with something in it on 510MB FreeDOS C: partition. I cleaned up the Start Menu so there's just "Aplikacje" and whatever created "Applications" went there. Sure there are system variables that default to proper directories. Just not every application uses them.

    --
    45 5F E1 04 22 CA 29 C4 93 3F 95 05 2B 79 2A B2
  11. Re:Who cares? by oc255 · · Score: 3, Interesting

    Fine, you know what you're doing, I rename them too (My Computer -> .box and My Network Places -> .net or something clever and non-default) see: One True Way. Not a big deal to you but a big deal to a teacher/instructor.

    What about in a classroom where all the lab/learning computers are set up like this by default? It's confusing as hell.

    "Class, double click on My Computer."
    "What do you mean Your Computer?"
    "No, I mean your My Computer."
    "What?!"
    "Click on the icon My Computer on Your Computer. *sigh*"
    "Computers are stupid."
    "Yes. Now do it or your resume will suck."

    etc, etc. I always hated that My Computer organization, I never go to network shares via My Computer. Really, the only thing I use My Computer for is getting to the Properties screen so I can fiddle with Device Manager or some other crap. Windows-break is much faster of course. If I'm trying to get to the C: drive I just hit Windows+R and type "C:". it's 4 key strokes (if you count the windows key).

    I like Gnome's Home Directory on the Desktop or "Macintosh HD" on the Desktop. It's much more logical in my mind.

    Not bashing Windows. I'm still trying to learn to keyboard navigate under OSX as fast as I can in Windows. Someone should organize a GUI race between OS keyboard navigating experts.

    Did you know that in Windows detail view in explorer you can auto-fit the columns with ctrl-shift-numpad +? I haven't gotten those kinds of shortcuts down under Gnome and OSX.

  12. We got our top minds on it. by NanoGator · · Score: 4, Funny

    Only on Slashdot would you find 300 comments examining the big picture significance of 'My' Computer.

    --
    "Derp de derp."
  13. Re:or path issues...UGH! by Tim+Browse · · Score: 5, Interesting

    All the spaces in default folders are (were) Microsoft's way of forcing app developers to cope with spaces in filenames.

    Quite an elegant way of doing it, imho.

  14. Computers for Adults by exp(pi*sqrt(163)) · · Score: 4, Interesting
    That god for that! How was I ever supposed to take my job seriously when the PC I worked on not only felt like a toy, but a toy for particularly young kids. If you're an engineer, say, you might start out with Lego Duplo, but eventually you move on to tools that feel like they're made for adults. But for software engineers using Windows PCs was almost embarassing - the only thing stopping it being embarassing was that everyone else had the same stupid patronizing shit on their desktops too. And they had the cheek to call the OS Windows XP Professional.

    I've always said that since W2K MS have produced a very capable operating system held back by an interface designed with nothing but contempt for users.

    --
    Doesn't it make you feel good to know that our freedoms are protected by politicans, lawyers and journalists.
  15. Abbott, lemme get this straight... by ArielMT · · Score: 4, Funny

    If Bud Abbott and Lou Costello were still alive, and if Costello tried to buy a computer from Abbott: http://xynext.com/Abbot-Costello-Whos-on-First-Com puter-Joke/

    --
    It must be Windows. It needs half a gig of RAM and a hardware-accelerated graphics card just to run Solitaire.
  16. Well, with all the security holes..... by pandymen · · Score: 3, Funny

    it isn't really MY computer anymore, now is it?

  17. Re:Obligatory Star Trek IV Quote... by sconeu · · Score: 3, Funny

    If they're from Kansas, they become intelligently designed to transcend the keyboard.

    --
    General Relativity: Space-time tells matter where to go; Matter tells space-time what shape to be.
  18. Re:More often than that by aetherspoon · · Score: 4, Informative

    You'd be wrong then.

    Windows 3.1 didn't have a default "My Documents" folder type of thing.
    Windows 95, c:\My Documents; No real home directory other than that.
    Windows 98, c:\My Documents; No real home directory other than that.
    Windows ME, c:\My Documents; No real home directory other than that.
    Windows NT 4, c:\winnt\profiles\username\My Documents if I remember right, not sure. Home directory would be one level above.
    Windows 2000, c:\documents and settings\username\My Documents. Home directory would be one level above.
    Windows XP, c:\documents and settings\username\My Documents. Home directory would be one level above.

    Now, how long as OSX been out? Since 2001 was it? Wouldn't that mean it isn't as old as Windows 2000? Gee, that'd make it where as long as OSX has been out, the My Docs directory under Windows has been the same, shouldn't it?

    Look, if you are going to troll Windows subjects, at least get it right...

    --
    --- Ãther SPOON!