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Post-Beta Windows 7 Build Leaked With New IE8

CWmike writes "A post-beta version of Windows 7, Build 7022, leaked to Internet file-sharing sites also includes an updated version of IE8, according to searches at several BitTorrent trackers. With Microsoft halting new Windows 7 beta downloads on Tuesday, and blocking all downloads as of noon (EST) today, users are again turning to illegal sources to get the new operating system."

61 of 332 comments (clear)

  1. My suspicion about any P2P downloads... by Eto_Demerzel79 · · Score: 5, Funny

    ...has always been that they contained malicious software that will slow down my computer and drain my bank account...this simply proved it!

  2. Post Beta? by WarJolt · · Score: 5, Insightful

    Post-beta is really relative. I consider all windows OSes beta until 2 years after the initial release.

    1. Re:Post Beta? by SuperAndy · · Score: 5, Funny

      It is effectively 2 years after the initial release. Vista came out in what, 2006?

    2. Re:Post Beta? by hot+soldering+iron · · Score: 3, Insightful

      Yep, that's why I stick with *nix. 30 years of pounding out the bugs and you get a good, solid OS. How old is Vista/Windows 7?

      --
      When you want something built, come see me. If you want correct grammar and spelling, get a F*ing liberal arts student.
    3. Re:Post Beta? by timeOday · · Score: 3, Informative

      after their initial release, the Windows version is supported by Microsoft, thus taking out of the test-at-your-own-risk beta stage.

      No, it's always at your own risk. Don't believe me? Read the EULA.

  3. There have been a lot of leaks of Windows 7 by Fungii · · Score: 5, Insightful

    Who's leaking the builds?

    Either way, Microsoft are getting a lot of good free press from them so far, I don't think they'll really have to worry about piracy cutting into their profits too much.

    1. Re:There have been a lot of leaks of Windows 7 by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 4, Insightful

      Most likely intentional. It gets people using it if they think they're doing something to stick it to Microsoft, while MSoft is in control the whole time.

    2. Re:There have been a lot of leaks of Windows 7 by SpaceLifeForm · · Score: 5, Funny

      Could be Steve, could be Bill.

      --
      You are being MICROattacked, from various angles, in a SOFT manner.
  4. Does it include the "Versions"? by Doug52392 · · Score: 4, Interesting

    I'd be pretty surprised if this latest leaked build ends up giving us a sneak peak at what Microsoft's plans to butcher up Windows 7 into 5+ "versions" is. I'd like to try to use my computer with a 2-process limit, just to see how stupid that would be!

    But, I suppose that would be BAD press...

    1. Re:Does it include the "Versions"? by Vu1turEMaN · · Score: 5, Informative

      A 3 app limit, excluding microsoft programs, startup programs, and firewall/antivirus actually wouldn't be that bad for most people

    2. Re:Does it include the "Versions"? by zonky · · Score: 2, Interesting

      Could you launch a startup program that can launch/wrap other executables as a way around it?

    3. Re:Does it include the "Versions"? by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 2, Insightful

      I was wondering the same thing, but if you're willing to go to that extent just to get around the ridiculous limitations, you honestly might as well just pirate the damn thing.

    4. Re:Does it include the "Versions"? by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 2, Informative

      1. You probably live in a western country - NO PROCESS LIMIT FOR YOU.

      2. It's two versions for normal users. Basic and Premium! Power users could probably use professional. Ultimate is just for the extravagant.

    5. Re:Does it include the "Versions"? by Darkness404 · · Score: 4, Insightful

      But the thing is, it is completely hard-coded in. For example, I won't complain if the largest file I can have on my hard drive is 300 GB because that is the limitations on the filesystem, however, if I could only have a 2 GB file unless I paid $50 for the "improved edition" I would complain loudly.

      Secondly, this is a major lock in for MS. If by using Firefox, VLC, and a third-party game you can exceede your app limit, but if you use IE, Windows Media Player and some built-in Windows game, you don't. This is especially worrying in the developing countries where this will be sold.

      --
      Taxation is legalized theft, no more, no less.
    6. Re:Does it include the "Versions"? by Vu1turEMaN · · Score: 2, Interesting

      Actually the limiting version would be for OEMs, and the one for developing countries would be different.

      A 2gb file size limit is one thing (I've never even heard of that rumor yet), but an app limit is quite another. If you have dual monitors running where you can look at a firefox window while playing a game and some music running on vlc, then obviously the starter edition isn't for you. You probably want the equivalent of the Home one.

      And I don't predict OEMs offering the Starter Edition as the base OS except on netbooks. The default option would probably be the Home equivalent.

      Stop worrying so much about it. Get the features you want by picking the version with the same features. It has always been like that.

    7. Re:Does it include the "Versions"? by EvanED · · Score: 2, Interesting

      Secondly, this is a major lock in for MS. If by using Firefox, VLC, and a third-party game you can exceede your app limit, but if you use IE, Windows Media Player and some built-in Windows game, you don't.

      This is a major [citation needed]. Both show up as separate processes, and since Vista, have little coupling with the rest of Windows components, except the help system which uses the HTML renderer from IE. (Unlike XP and before, when Windows Explorer and IE were very tied together.)

    8. Re:Does it include the "Versions"? by EvanED · · Score: 2, Informative

      You probably live in a western country - NO PROCESS LIMIT FOR YOU.

      As I was corrected yesterday, I'll pass on the favor to you: this is wrong. Unlike XP and Vista, the "starter edition" of Win7 is not the "developing nations" version of Windows. Instead, the starter edition is available worldwide, and is the discounted version intended for Netbooks and similar systems, and it is this version that will have the process limitation. In other words, to run Win7 on a Netbook you either have to put up with the process limitation or pay more for the non-starter edition.

      (Win7 will have a developing nations version, called "Home Basic", but this is different. Basically, Home Basic and Starter Editions have swapped since Vista.)

  5. Re:Big deal by hwyhobo · · Score: 3, Interesting

    mostly because I'm a sucker for "shiny new toys", but the key for me is running Linux in a VM so that I can at least get my Unix/Linux fix

    What is stopping you from doing it now? I am running the latest Slackware in a VM on my XP Pro laptop. Why do you need Windows 7 for that?

    --
    End anonymous moderation and posting on /.
  6. Re:WTF. by lymond01 · · Score: 5, Funny

    Haven't you heard? Konqueror may finally get some competition with this new IE 8.

  7. Re:WTF. by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 4, Interesting

    From my impressions of it, in public release beta, they have came a long ways to make an OS that is actually intuitive to use. I've had very minimal bugs arise, and am quite pleased from this. I've used and been pleased with many versions of *nix, but 7 is a pleasant experience so far.

  8. Re:You haven't tried Ninnle! by ramandu · · Score: 5, Informative

    It's a meme some AC's have been trying to start; so far it has been a "no go". But I for one am happy that it has been failing, slashdot really doesn't need to have another crappy meme.

    --
    Know thyself. -- Delphic Oracle, 8th century BC
  9. MS Marketing Droids working at 150% Capacity by owlnation · · Score: 5, Interesting

    So do we really need to have a Windows 7 article every day? It's in beta, it changes -- and it's not exactly eagerly awaited anyway.

    So, other than MS promoting this as much as the possibly can -- is there any need to have any articles on it at all, unless there's a major change?

    1. Re:MS Marketing Droids working at 150% Capacity by Aladrin · · Score: 4, Interesting

      By some, maybe. Personally, I'm looking forward to upgrading my Vista Tablet PC to Windows 7. I hear it's faster and has quite a few improvements, like the new task bar. So some people -are- eagerly awaiting it.

      --
      "If you make people think they're thinking, they'll love you; But if you really make them think, they'll hate you." - DM
    2. Re:MS Marketing Droids working at 150% Capacity by dave562 · · Score: 5, Insightful
      I'd suggest you find something more worthwhile to do with your life.

      Like being an all around prick to complete strangers on Slashdot?

  10. Re:You haven't tried Ninnle! by Sexy+Commando · · Score: 2, Funny

    "The Googles, they do nothing!" ...or something like that.

  11. After all these years, by christoofar · · Score: 4, Interesting

    I still cannot fathom why people scramble to get the latest copy of a Windows OS way before it's really even declared "ready."

    It's not like your development software is really going to work on the thing; and for that matter--we all know once it finally gets pressed to a DVD the first Service Pack is already on its way out the door, so QA-testing is moot.

    1. Re:After all these years, by Koiu+Lpoi · · Score: 2, Funny

      Call me EXTREMELY OPTIMISTIC if you want, but we can hope that all these leaked betas with the little "send feedback" button would lead to less shittiness at launch.

    2. Re:After all these years, by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 2, Funny

      I still cannot fathom why people scramble to get the latest copy of a Windows OS way after it's really even declared "ready."

      There, fixed that for you.

    3. Re:After all these years, by JorDan+Clock · · Score: 2, Funny

      Yeah, it's like all those people using beta versions of Ubuntu. You know in 6 months they're just going to release another one.

  12. Is Microsoft crippled beyond repair? by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 5, Funny

    BREAKING: Microsoft critically wounded by Internet assailant

    In what appears to be yet another PR nightmare for the software giant, today Internet user macraig made scathing comments on the highly reputable Slashdot ORG site. Calling all Microsoft operating systems after Windows 2000, "a job poorly done" and noting that Windows has family and friends "hand-cuffed" to it, macraig assaulted the company with fierce textual blows. He even implied he would not infringe copyrights to obtain the newest Windows 7 operating system, a rather heinous indictment in this Web 2.0 world of P2P. "It was wanton, it was unnecessary," said one page viewer. Another user by the name of Anonymous Coward said he didn't know what to think after he read macraig's comments, only remarking on how "gruesome" the spectacle was.

    Whether Microsoft will fully recover from this battery of attacks, no one will know. They were unavailable for comment. We will continue to keep you posted on this breaking news story.

    Next, do you let your children go outside? Stay tuned as our team exposes the shocking link between sexual predators and children going outside!

  13. Re:Turning to illegal sources? by Cassius+Corodes · · Score: 4, Insightful

    I don't get this - If you haven't used a windows OS since 2000, how can you say it a "job poorly done".

    For my 2c, XP is a very well rounded operating system - part of the reason MS is finding it so hard to move people from it.

    --
    Control is an illusion, order our comforting lie. From chaos, through chaos, into chaos we fly
  14. Re:Lunix sucks! by Hordeking · · Score: 3, Insightful

    Lunix just isn't ready for the desktop yet. It may be ready for the web servers that you nerds use to distribute your TRON fanzines and personal Dungeons and Dragons web-sights across the world wide web, but the average computer user isn't going to spend months learning how to use a CLI and then hours compiling packages so that they can get a workable graphic interface to check their mail with, especially not when they already have a Windows machine that does its job perfectly well and is backed by a major corporation, as opposed to Lunix which is only supported by a few unemployed nerds living in their mother's basement somewhere. The last thing I want is a level 5 dwarf (haha) providing me my OS.

    Ironically, this post is almost on-topic for once, given the fact that the article is about the upcoming Windows release. Too bad it's posted in most of the commentaries where it IS off-topic.

    By the way, I've never heard of Lunix. Would you care to explain what it is?

    --
    Disclaimer: The opinions and actions of the US Gov't are in no way representative of those held by this author or its ci
  15. "Leak 2.0" the new e-marketing campaign package! by quibbler · · Score: 5, Insightful

    Get a fscking clue here people, This "leak" is a marketing project from the word go.

    Step 1: Build a virtually-nonfunctional but highly stable show-off OS with all of the important (and wildly unstable) compatibility turned off.

    Step 2: Leak said software as your next great release and bemoan the loss of your great surprise unveiling.

    Step 3: Pay lots of reviewers to fill comment sites about how terrific the fantastic OS is before most have ever seen it.

    Step 4: Enjoy a *positive* rollout on the heals of your abomination of a release called 'Vista' and that horseshit "not vista" campaign that followed.

    Step 5: Profit

  16. here's why by Joe+U · · Score: 5, Insightful

    I still cannot fathom why people scramble to get the latest copy of a Windows OS way before it's really even declared "ready."

    Mostly because it's going to be the dominant OS for the next 5+ years and maybe, just maybe, they want to get familiar with it as soon as possible.

    Windows still has about 88% of the market. That means, on average, out of 100 people, 1 uses linux, 9 use MacOS, 2 use another OS and 88 use Windows.

    Think about that for a moment, 88% vs 1%. The question should be, why do we care about the latest build of anything else?

    1. Re:here's why by fl1ckmasterflex · · Score: 3, Interesting

      Secondly, where did you get these figures from?

      Thats a good question. But do you also ask yourself how statisticians can poll 1000 odd people and get a very accurate reading on 300 million? :) (I'm talking about the pre US elections polling)

      Statistics can get fairly complicated and each poll can be model accurately with a low enough margin of error. As a simple example you can give different weights to statistics of browsers from different websites and them compile a grand total. So while given _ANY_ statistic you can find something wrong with it, you cant simply dismiss it as being inaccurate.

      You might find these linux interesting:

      http://www.oreillynet.com/linux/blog/2007/10/how_can_linux_market_share_be.html

      http://ubuntuforums.org/showthread.php?t=598383

      http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sampling_(statistics)

    2. Re:here's why by drsmithy · · Score: 2, Interesting

      5+ years? The Windows version cycle is only 2/3 years. Windows XP was an exception thanks to the huge delay that Windows Vista got.

      Note that if you count ALL the versions of NT, as you should, the cycle looks much more consistent:

      December 1999: Windows 2000
      October 2001: Windows XP
      April 2003: Windows 2003 (/Windows XP x64)
      (Q3 2004: "Longhorn reboot" - restart of Vista development from the Windows 2003 codebase)
      December 2006: Windows Vista
      December 2009: Windows 7

  17. Re:Lunix sucks! by Darkness404 · · Score: 4, Funny

    I guess you have never tried it, I could recommend some distros that are on very mature and dont require you to learn command lines to use.

    http://www.gentoo.org/

    So out of all the user friendly distros you pick... Gentoo?

    --
    Taxation is legalized theft, no more, no less.
  18. 32 Bit by ady1 · · Score: 4, Informative

    The leaked beta is 32bit only.

  19. Re:And easily hacked by themacks · · Score: 4, Funny

    How to hack Win7:

    1. Search Registry for "MAX_APPS"
    2. Change from 3 to 0

    --
    i read about it in a blog once
  20. Re:Lunix sucks! by EvanED · · Score: 4, Insightful

    Gentoo is actually a distro I recommend sometimes to people who are interested in installing Linux on their computer for the first time, and it's not because I'm some MS shrill who is trying to scare people away from Linux. ;-)

    But if you have someone who has used Linux on someone else's computer or a school computer or something so that they are not scared of the command line and are have become pretty sure this is something that they'll actually be using rather than just installing because they want to try it and think they might like it, and they are willing to put in a little bit of effort, Gentoo is a really good choice. (That's a lot of 'if's, but Gentoo isn't exactly your typical newbie distro.)

    I'm a big Gentoo fan (well, to the extent I'm a fan of any OS, which is not very much), because I think it is a solid distribution, but the main selling point for someone who can and is willing to deal with it is that in my experience, the documentation has just been outstanding. It's been a bit since I have really done any adminning of my own Linux box so this may be out of date, but I would do searches for Linux problems without specifying I was running Gentoo, and it seemed that half the time I would hit something on the Gentoo site anyway.

  21. Re:Lunix sucks! by imess · · Score: 2, Informative

    and it seemed that half the time I would hit something on the Gentoo site anyway

    May be because google personalized your search even when you're not logged in?

  22. Re:Big deal by AlHunt · · Score: 2, Interesting

    Not that I mind microsofties modding me down, but how can the first post be "redundant"? Or is the pointing out the pointlessness of a new Windows release so well known that any mention of it's pointlessness is redundant?

    Humph ...

    --
    1 in 4 Maine children in struggle with hunger.
  23. Re:Lunix sucks! by RuBLed · · Score: 2, Informative

    You might want to add Linux Mint on that list..

    http://www.linuxmint.com/

    It is definitely one of the "just works" type of Linux distribution. (based on Ubuntu)

  24. Re:Lunix sucks! by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 4, Funny

    BSD, Lunix, Debian and Mandrake are all versions of an illegal hacker operation system, invented by a Soviet computer hacker named Linyos Torovoltos, before the Russians lost the Cold War. It is based on a program called "xenix", which was written by Microsoft for the US government. These programs are used by hackers to break into other people's computer systems to steal credit card numbers. They may also be used to break into people's stereos to steal their music, using the "mp3" program. Torovoltos is a notorious hacker, responsible for writing many hacker programs, such as "telnet", which is used by hackers to connect to machines on the internet without using a telephone.

    Your son may try to install "lunix" on your hard drive. If he is careful, you may not notice its presence, however, lunix is a capricious beast, and if handled incorrectly, your son may damage your computer, and even break it completely by deleting Windows, at which point you will have to have your computer repaired by a professional.

    If you see the word "LILO" during your windows startup (just after you turn the machine on), your son has installed lunix. In order to get rid of it, you will have to send your computer back to the manufacturer, and have them fit a new hard drive. Lunix is extremely dangerous software, and cannot be removed without destroying part of your hard disk surface.

  25. Re:And easily hacked by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 3, Funny

    How does that help? Then you can't start any at all!

  26. Reading Comprehension D- by westlake · · Score: 4, Informative

    Once the public learned about the 3 app limit

    The "three app limit" applies only to the Starter Edition - a Windows OS and a small suite of programs localized for beginners in third world countries.

    The Sugar GUI originally designed for OLPC allows only one task to run.

    It makes no sense to allow inexperienced users to randomly launch multiple apps on systems that will very quickly run out of the resources needed to run them.

    1. Re:Reading Comprehension D- by houghi · · Score: 2, Insightful

      It also makes no sense to deny inexperienced users to become experienced. The way I learned was by doing things wrong over and over again. That is how people learn.

      --
      Don't fight for your country, if your country does not fight for you.
    2. Re:Reading Comprehension D- by hairyfeet · · Score: 2, Insightful

      Nope, so sorry charlie. MSFT in their infinite stupidity is going to push Win7 starter for the netbook market. That's right! Imagine getting your new netbook home, install AV/Firewall/antispyware and find out "no soup for you!" when it comes to actually running YOUR stuff as opposed to what you need to keep Windows from getting borked. Do you think those folks are going to go "Oh well" and shell out the bucks for the Home Premium? Nope, TPB FTW baby! The version you are thinking of for the third world is now the Basic edition. Yes, for no damned reason they switched them around. Fun huh?

      Seriously WTF is MSFT thinking? Are they TRYING to commit suicide? Do they honestly think a 3 app limit is going to fly? I have said it before and I'll say it again: Fire that damned retarded monkey Ballmer who wants to be Apple so fucking bad it hurts and bring back Allchin. Because Ballmer and his marketing drones are going to kill the company. Mark my words, Win7 is going to bomb hard. It is going down like Slim Pickens riding the bomb in DR Stranglove. It is just too bad that it isn't Ballmer riding the thing. But having 6 versions of Vista was confusing enough for the consumer, and now adding a 3 app limit to bitchslap them if they guess wrong is just insanity. Ever since the damned monkey took over they have bounced from one idea to another like the company has ADHD while the core market, the business and enterprise markets that pay them the big money, has been given the finger. Mark my words, that is going to come back to bite them in the ass BIG time.

      --
      ACs don't waste your time replying, your posts are never seen by me.
    3. Re:Reading Comprehension D- by drinkypoo · · Score: 2, Interesting

      Ever since the damned monkey took over they have bounced from one idea to another like the company has ADHD while the core market, the business and enterprise markets that pay them the big money, has been given the finger. Mark my words, that is going to come back to bite them in the ass BIG time.

      All hail Ballmer! Ballmer for Microsoft CEO FO LIFE!

      --
      "You're right," Fisheye says. "I should have set it on 'whip' or 'chop.'"
    4. Re:Reading Comprehension D- by bigdanmoody · · Score: 2, Informative

      I know I shouldn't feed the troll, but this is one falsehood that I am really tired of hearing. Sorry to burst your bubble, but MS is *not* going to "push Win7 starter for the netbook market." Unlike you I actually have a source for my claim, http://windowsteamblog.com/blogs/windows7/archive/2009/02/04/a-closer-look-at-the-windows-7-skus.aspx .

      The salient paragraph is toward the bottom, wherein he states, "Many of you have been asking about how to think about SKUs and very low-end notebook PCs or "Netbooks." All SKUs of Windows 7 will work on many of these devices, with Windows 7 Home Premium as the recommend SKU on small notebook PCs with sufficient hardware."

  27. Re:Lunix sucks! by hairyfeet · · Score: 5, Insightful

    Sigh....I am probably going to get flamed for this, but what the hey, my karma is great and I hate half truths. There is NO Linux OS that you don't have to learn CLI. NONE AT ALL. Folks like to say that there is, but there really isn't.

    If you want proof, here it is. Pretend to be an Ubuntu user. Ubuntu is a friendly Linux distro that doesn't need CLI, right? Install it to a PC. Now let us say that something doesn't work. You are completely free to pick the something: Network/Audio/Video/multi card reader, whatever. Now go to the forums like a good Windows user would do and ask for help. Your answer will ALWAYS start with "Bring up Bash and....."

    And it is at THAT moment you have lost. You have failed, the game is over, the fat lady has sung, please hit the lights on your way out. You will NEVER get your average Windows user to use CLI. Hell even the power users usually avoid it like an STD. Believe me, of this I know. As a Windows repairman with over 15 years in the biz I have tried teaching a little CLI to users. It is not going to happen cap'n. They don't WANT to learn the CLI, they HATE the CLI, and frankly the vast majority doesn't even know that Windows HAS a CLI, because in Windows you can always do what you need to by GUI. But it just ain't so in Linux.

    The day that you can have a problem in a Linux distro and go to the forums and NOT get "bring up bash and..." as the standard answer then it might be ready for Windows users. Oh, and make those damned Lexmark printers work, but that is another story. But until Linux reaches the point that you can fix problems without ever needing to know the CLI exists it just won't be ready for most Windows users. Honestly I don't think it ever will be, simply because Linux under the hood is really built for servers and servers are CLI based. Nothing wrong with that, servers are a big market. But those shelling out the big bucks to write all the nitty gritty down and dirty internals that all the distros have in common are doing it for servers. And an emphasis on removing CLI dependence simply isn't something they are the least bit interested in. But the second you tell the vast majority of Windows users to "bring up bash and..." they will be bringing the PC to me to have it wiped and Windows installed. Sorry.

    --
    ACs don't waste your time replying, your posts are never seen by me.
  28. Re:Turning to illegal sources? by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 3, Funny

    I don't know what to think about this post. It's such a gruesome spectacle.

  29. Re:Lunix sucks! by Mozk · · Score: 4, Insightful

    The number of times I've had to use a CLI to fix something in Linux is about the same as the number of times I've had to use the Registry Editor to fix something in Windows.

    So I suppose I can switch your argument around a bit: The day that you can have a problem in Windows and can go to a forum and not get "Start > Run... > regedit" as the standard answer is that day that it might be ready for users.

    --
    No existe.
  30. Re:You haven't tried Ninnle! by Phroggy · · Score: 3, Funny

    It must be a really failed meme then. As you can see from my UID, I'm not new here, and I don't remember ever hearing this one before.

    --
    $x='S24;r)>63/* h@<5+oZ)32"5cz';$me='phroggy'x$];
    $x=~y+ -xz+\0-Tx+;print$_^chop$me for split'',$x;
  31. Re:Lunix sucks! by VPeric · · Score: 2, Informative

    You should try Arch (http://www.archlinux.org/), it has all the advantages of Gentoo and less hassle if you don't feel like compiling every single package.

  32. Comment removed by account_deleted · · Score: 4, Funny

    Comment removed based on user account deletion

  33. Microsoft should release Windows for free. by master_p · · Score: 2, Interesting

    They have so much money coming from their other products...

  34. Re:Lunix sucks! by hairyfeet · · Score: 3, Interesting

    The problem with your argument is this: and it is another really big problem with Linux. With Windows they often don't HAVE to use reg edit, even for a nasty problem. Why? Because there is usually an uncle/cousin/nephew who is a "power user" and has no problem doing that for them. Or if they are one of those that don't have someone like that in the family they can bring it to one of the multitude of friendly Windows repairmen like me. And we don't support Linux. Frankly it is just too much of a PITA. If you talk to a Windows repairman they'll tell you that like me they tried Linux and left because of something them just drove them batshit insane.

    In my case I went so far as to try to sell low cost Linux boxes, boy what a mistake that was! Why was it a mistake? Five words: Lexmark all in one printer. You ever try to get one of those bastards to work in Linux? Good luck with that! And can you guess what the most popular consumer printer is? That's right, you guessed it! I was able to sell the machines with Win98 and Win2K easier than a nice shiny new Kubuntu because what good is a PC that you can't print from? And you can forget bundling a printer because nobody is going to pay $300 for a 1.4GHz PC with 512MB of RAM simply for the privilege of using Linux. So from a business perspective it is easier to only carry Windows. Even if the machine is Win2K a good 99.5% of the time there is a driver for it. As I just pointed out there is a whole class of consumer product that you will be lucky to get to work at all in Linux.

    Is it the fault of Linux? Nope, not at all. But consumers don't care. They want it to work or they are wanting their money back. As I said Linux is great for servers. All the major server hardware is supported out of the box and it is easier to lock down than Windows. But until I can be assured that everything my customers is likely to pick up in Walmart will work in say Kubuntu out of the box I simply can't deal with it. And talking to local shop owners none of them deal with Linux either. So while your Windows user can drop it off at a "power user" or slip a little cash to a repair shop and have their problems magically disappear, the Windows user trying Linux for the first time is alone, with a big blinking Bash cursor that frankly scares them that they are going to do something wrong. It is TOO powerful for them. So they bring it to me to wipe and put Windows on where they feel safe that they know what they are doing and can get real live help when they need it. Sorry, no sale.

    --
    ACs don't waste your time replying, your posts are never seen by me.
  35. Re:Lunix sucks! by init100 · · Score: 2, Interesting

    Now go to the forums like a good Windows user would do and ask for help. Your answer will ALWAYS start with "Bring up Bash and....."

    That's not because fixing stuff is impossible in the GUI, but because it is the simplest solution to describe in writing. If you want to describe how to do stuff in a way that even a noob can understand, you'll have to create screenshots and the like.

    If you won't accept a CLI answer, I'm not going to care enough about your problem to take the time to create screenshots and the like. You either get the CLI solution, or none at all. Take your pick.

  36. Source by Xocet_00 · · Score: 2, Interesting

    I'm just wondering where you read about Starter Edition being meant for netbooks. It doesn't seem like an unreasonable claim, but I was under the impression that Starter Edition was for emerging markets and wouldn't be sold in developed countries. Did Microsoft and/or a netbook manufacturer announce that they intend to supply the machines with Starter Edition pre-installed?

  37. Re:Big deal by AlHunt · · Score: 2, Insightful

    No, you are incorrect. Questioning the reason behind and logic of downloading a pirated operating system is entirely on-topic in a thread regarding the downloading of pirated operating systems. Piss-poor moderators and microsoft cheerleaders modding that question down is rather inexcusable. But then, since the practice of pirating that particular software is indefensible, they have no recourse but to try and bury the question.

    This post, of course, is off topic and should be modded down. While someone with mod points today takes care of that for me, I'm going to go meta-moderate. I haven't been doing enough of that lately.

    --
    1 in 4 Maine children in struggle with hunger.