Even the most pointy-haired PHB has by now realized that MSFT's EULA is a horror because it randomly changes all the time.
And not only with new products, also updates, fixes, service packs can include some changes in EULA.
(Looks at the "all your computers are belong to us" clause in the new WMP EULA)
Also, you have to take care that your employees only install what they are allowed to install, etc. etc.
Compare that to the GPL which essentially means "do whatever you please" (yes, I do know that you have to release derived works under the GPL, but no Windows-using company does create derived works out of Windows, so why should they have to of Linux?)
Xbox failed? Please tell that to everyone I know buying an Xbox, or people buying 2 (now that its 150 bux) to network Halo. In my corner of the woods, Xbox seems to be doing damn good.
Microsoft is the only one losing money and is behind Sony and Nintendo nevertheless. I'm just waiting for them to pull the plug, XBox will never make money for them.
And BTW, Windows on Alpha was a rather good idea, We have some NT 4 boxes on alpha we finaly retired due to code red. They run linux just fine now, but to be fair, NT 4 is quite old.
Isn't "good idea" and "have had to retire them" a contradiction?
Windows/Alpha showed that Microsoft products can be discontinued anytime without warning.
Now, take a step back, cool off and take a deep breath.
Look at.NET, what is it? Basically it's just another API (plus some other enhancements, but I told you to take a step back and look at the bigger picture.) like the Win32 API
Microsoft wants to fuel upgrades just like the transition from Win16 to Win32 fueled upgrades.
The worst case in a Linux-point-of-view is that everything stays the same - Windows-apps don't run under Linux.
The best case is that.NET apps run under Mono/Linux right from the start.
.NET could be the biggest blunder of Microsoft's history, taking away the only advantage they really got (a huge software library).
1) Mac OS X has turned out to be the best, most reliable and most user-friendly of ALL UNIX distributions.
This is a claim, not a fact.
2) Do you really want me to list all the things KDE/Linux does wrong or rather the ways they have to go to reach OS X level of ease of use ( hah...I can hear your blood boiling from here)?
I posted a link to several problems of the MacOS UI.
about having a CONCISTENT interface being a number one priority. But I'll leave you with just one example: Font-handling.
KDE is very consistent. Much more than the mix of MacOSX apps with MacOS9 apps and completele inconsistent designs like Quicktime thrown in.
Regarding fonts, I happily use those who came with my distribution, what's wrong with that? And yes, they include ø and æ.
If the Norwegian government needs some fancy font, I think the Linux-distributor of their choice will happily include these fonts in the install.
Transparency, a mouse optimized for beauty and huge pictures instead of icons slow down productivity. Yes, when you first use a Mac, it's a nice experience, but half an hour later, all the eye-candy just gets into the way.
Wrong, on slashdot bad news from Microsoft's point of view are rarely posted because everyone is busy whining about monopolies and being afraid.
You don't win a war with whining and being afraid.
XBox will end the myth of Microsoft being invincible and will end the whatever-vaporware-they-put-out-it-will-be-the-sta ndard talk.
Bill Gates and all other high execs are selling as much shares as possible, Microsoft owes their own employees tens of billions in outstanding stock options and Microsoft will make losses as soon as they will have to pay taxes (either because their stock-option house of cards break down or the government closes this loophole, whatever happens first).
I don't know why everybody is so pessimistic these days.
The big days of Microsft are over, they will be the next Novell.
As of the last time I checked, that's a KDE only thing unless you do some special configuration on Gnome, which I've never bothered to figure out (and it's pretty sure that the people we're talking of wouldn't figure out either).
You probably tried RedHat, right?
Complaining about having to do a lot of configuration to run a server-distro on the desktop is like complaining about having to buy and install a soundcard on a rack-mount server to listen to mp3s.
RedHat said themselves that they don't target the desktop, so please try SuSE or Mandrake before you bash desktop-Linux.
She's used Win95 for around 8 years now. And she is just beginning to understand how folders work. Even more frightening, she came to Win95 from a Mac. She likes to leave all her files scattered around the desktop so she can find them. If something happens, and the files get moved, then she needs my help to find them again.
How exactly would KDE/Linux worsen this situation?
KDE's featureset is a superset of the Windows-GUI. For somebody only using Windows, using KDE should not be a problem. Of course once you are used to KDE (like me), going back to Windows is a real pain because you get used to all those nice little enhancements and features.
As far as a desktop OS is concerned, Apple's Mac OS X may be far better suited to the task.
Not really. You combine the disadvantage of Windows (being dependent on a ignorant, incompetent and foreign corporation, primitive GUI (Yes, everything that has only one desktop is primitive. Don't get me started on only one mouse-button. And it's slow, too. And the dock is optimized for demoability, not usability.)) and Linux (having to port many Win32-applications) plus you add in costs for exchanging all hardware which is also a lot more expensive.
If you can come up with real examples what KDE/Linux does wrong, post it, but the arrogant, ignorant statement "they've got a ways to go to reach OS X's level of ease-of-use." just doesn't cut it.
I really get the impression that it doesn't matter what Apple does, just anything will be declared to be user-friendly.
Early in 2002, Walmart starts to sell PCs without Windows
"Oh my god, all the software won't run!, they are doomed!"
A couple of months later, they start selling PCs with Lindows.
"Oh my god, all the software won't run! Nobody will buy them, everybody will return them!"
A couple of weeks later, they start selling PCs with Mandrake Linux.
"Oh my god, all the software won't run! They do this only to sell them Windows extra!"
Are people around here really so stupid not to realize that if everybody would want Windows preinstalled, Microtel/Walmart would have stopped selling Windows-less PCs A LONG TIME AGO? Is really anybody so stupid to think that if too many Lindows-PCs were returned they just go ahead and ship PCs with Mandrake?
Face it: This is a big win for Linux, a big win for competition and a big win for all computer users (including Windows users, strong Linux adoption will force Microsoft to drop Palladium, believe me.)
It's not a singular event, it's a series of events (first OS-less, then with Lindows, then Mandrake) that is enough evidence that there is a market for it and is successful in the market.
Microsoft is on the decline. On every market (including desktops) they are in the defensive. They have pissed off so many companies (IBM with Windows, Sony with XBox and AOL/TM with MSN, plus tens of others) that they are the underdog.
If you click on a.tar,.tar.gz,.tgz,.zip or whatever else (I think.arj and.rar are also supported) the right thing will happen. (No command line needed)
Until recently, a naked Windows-install could not handle.zip files at all.
How come that everytime Microsoft copies a something it's OK, but if KDE copies something it's evil?
What about tabbed browsing? What about multiple desktops? What about opening new browser windows with the MMB? What about themes! What about scrollbar-jumping? What about the Alt-modifier key for faster window-manipulation?
MSFT copied often enough and is now clearly lagging behind KDE in the GUI area because they still have a lot to copy to catch up.
Microsoft ships an OS with a browser, an email-client and not much else.
Lindows ships an OS with a browser, an email-client and not much else.
Both reviewer find the former OK, but the latter terrible and unacceptable.
Microsoft charges over 300$ for MS Office and nothing else.
Lindows charges 100$ for OpenOffice plus thousands of programs.
Again, both reviewers find the former OK, but the latter terrible and unacceptable.
Now, I don't think that Lindows gives enough value compared to SuSE or Mandrake, but Lindows still gives more value compared to Windows, even if you put up with their click-and-run scheme.
Lindows just copied Windows:
- Joe buys computer - Joe gets base OS (Windows or Lindows) but not much else - Joe knows/finds out that he would have to pay 300$ for MS Office or 100$ for hundreds/thousands of apps, including OpenOffice. - If Joe is naive he will pay 300$ (on Windows) or 100$ (on Lindows) to get some useful work done. - Otherwise Joe will use a warez-version of MS Office or check out the legal possibilites of getting Linux-software (or look at another distribution)
If you come from the Windows-world, Lindows doesn't look that bad, IMO.
Slashdot Mirror
The *ONLY* thing that keeps Windows and Office on OEM's machines is dirty tactics (either sell 100% preinstalled or pay a premium)
However, Microsoft does not control the whole OEM market. There are companies which do not have contracts with Microsoft or do not love Microsoft.
Walmart is the first big one. Others will follow, maybe even Sony.
And not only with new products, also updates, fixes, service packs can include some changes in EULA.
(Looks at the "all your computers are belong to us" clause in the new WMP EULA)
Also, you have to take care that your employees only install what they are allowed to install, etc. etc.
Compare that to the GPL which essentially means "do whatever you please" (yes, I do know that you have to release derived works under the GPL, but no Windows-using company does create derived works out of Windows, so why should they have to of Linux?)
You might think of the GPL whatever you want, but there are 2 undeniable facts:
1) It does not randomly change like Microosft's EULAs
2) All restrictions that apply to GPL also apply to MS EULAs (but not vice-versa, obviously).
Well, let's see if that is a viable business model.
Tying yourself to a single vendor is just plain stupid, no matter if that vendor is IBM, Microsoft, Apple, Sun or anybody else.
Even if every IIS server would utilize ASP (and they don't) it would still be less popular than PHP
stats here
On my distro, Samba is installed by default, it's as integrated as it can get.
Microsoft is the only one losing money and is behind Sony and Nintendo nevertheless. I'm just waiting for them to pull the plug, XBox will never make money for them.
And BTW, Windows on Alpha was a rather good idea, We have some NT 4 boxes on alpha we finaly retired due to code red. They run linux just fine now, but to be fair, NT 4 is quite old.
Isn't "good idea" and "have had to retire them" a contradiction?
Windows/Alpha showed that Microsoft products can be discontinued anytime without warning.
- XBox
- COOl
- Windows/Alpha
- Windows/PPC
- Windows/Mips
- Blackbird
- PenWindows
- Modular Windows
- "HomeR"
- "Otto"
- Ultimate TV
Actually, most Microsoft-projects fail miserably.Look at .NET, what is it? Basically it's just another API (plus some other enhancements, but I told you to take a step back and look at the bigger picture.) like the Win32 API
Microsoft wants to fuel upgrades just like the transition from Win16 to Win32 fueled upgrades.
The worst case in a Linux-point-of-view is that everything stays the same - Windows-apps don't run under Linux.
The best case is that .NET apps run under Mono/Linux right from the start.
Proprietary MSN should extinguish the internet.
"Internet will never be popular" - Bill Gates (Doesn't that ring a bell?)
"The Internet? We are not interested in it" - Bill Gates.
MSN failed completely, now it's just another ISP. And ICQ is still a lot more popular than MSN-Messenger.
This is a claim, not a fact.
2) Do you really want me to list all the things KDE/Linux does wrong or rather the ways they have to go to reach OS X level of ease of use ( hah...I can hear your blood boiling from here)?
Again, no fact, just an ignorant statement.
I could go on
Baseless claims and ignorance.
Yes, I believe you could go on with that.
Public image of Mac-users
I posted a link to several problems of the MacOS UI.
about having a CONCISTENT interface being a number one priority. But I'll leave you with just one example: Font-handling.
KDE is very consistent. Much more than the mix of MacOSX apps with MacOS9 apps and completele inconsistent designs like Quicktime thrown in.
Regarding fonts, I happily use those who came with my distribution, what's wrong with that? And yes, they include ø and æ.
If the Norwegian government needs some fancy font, I think the Linux-distributor of their choice will happily include these fonts in the install.
Transparency, a mouse optimized for beauty and huge pictures instead of icons slow down productivity. Yes, when you first use a Mac, it's a nice experience, but half an hour later, all the eye-candy just gets into the way.
You don't win a war with whining and being afraid.
XBox will end the myth of Microsoft being invincible and will end the whatever-vaporware-they-put-out-it-will-be-the-sta ndard talk.
Bill Gates and all other high execs are selling as much shares as possible, Microsoft owes their own employees tens of billions in outstanding stock options and Microsoft will make losses as soon as they will have to pay taxes (either because their stock-option house of cards break down or the government closes this loophole, whatever happens first).
I don't know why everybody is so pessimistic these days.
The big days of Microsft are over, they will be the next Novell.
You probably tried RedHat, right?
Complaining about having to do a lot of configuration to run a server-distro on the desktop is like complaining about having to buy and install a soundcard on a rack-mount server to listen to mp3s.
RedHat said themselves that they don't target the desktop, so please try SuSE or Mandrake before you bash desktop-Linux.
She's used Win95 for around 8 years now. And she is just beginning to understand how folders work. Even more frightening, she came to Win95 from a Mac. She likes to leave all her files scattered around the desktop so she can find them. If something happens, and the files get moved, then she needs my help to find them again.
How exactly would KDE/Linux worsen this situation?
KDE's featureset is a superset of the Windows-GUI. For somebody only using Windows, using KDE should not be a problem. Of course once you are used to KDE (like me), going back to Windows is a real pain because you get used to all those nice little enhancements and features.
Not really. You combine the disadvantage of Windows (being dependent on a ignorant, incompetent and foreign corporation, primitive GUI (Yes, everything that has only one desktop is primitive. Don't get me started on only one mouse-button. And it's slow, too. And the dock is optimized for demoability, not usability.)) and Linux (having to port many Win32-applications) plus you add in costs for exchanging all hardware which is also a lot more expensive.
If you can come up with real examples what KDE/Linux does wrong, post it, but the arrogant, ignorant statement "they've got a ways to go to reach OS X's level of ease-of-use." just doesn't cut it.
I really get the impression that it doesn't matter what Apple does, just anything will be declared to be user-friendly.
P.S.: Yes, I have a Mac.
Early in 2002, Walmart starts to sell PCs without Windows
"Oh my god, all the software won't run!, they are doomed!"
A couple of months later, they start selling PCs with Lindows.
"Oh my god, all the software won't run! Nobody will buy them, everybody will return them!"
A couple of weeks later, they start selling PCs with Mandrake Linux.
"Oh my god, all the software won't run! They do this only to sell them Windows extra!"
Are people around here really so stupid not to realize that if everybody would want Windows preinstalled, Microtel/Walmart would have stopped selling Windows-less PCs A LONG TIME AGO? Is really anybody so stupid to think that if too many Lindows-PCs were returned they just go ahead and ship PCs with Mandrake?
Face it: This is a big win for Linux, a big win for competition and a big win for all computer users (including Windows users, strong Linux adoption will force Microsoft to drop Palladium, believe me.)
It's not a singular event, it's a series of events (first OS-less, then with Lindows, then Mandrake) that is enough evidence that there is a market for it and is successful in the market.
Microsoft is on the decline. On every market (including desktops) they are in the defensive. They have pissed off so many companies (IBM with Windows, Sony with XBox and AOL/TM with MSN, plus tens of others) that they are the underdog.
Don't allow cdrom/floppy access for "demo". Problem solved.
If you click on a .tar, .tar.gz, .tgz, .zip or whatever else (I think .arj and .rar are also supported) the right thing will happen. (No command line needed)
Until recently, a naked Windows-install could not handle .zip files at all.
And if you don't - that's fine too. There come several styles in the default configuration.
If you would have KDE installed you could click with the middle mousebutton on a scrollbar and you would know.
Having highlighted text auto-copied to the clipboard (overwriting what I had put there myself intentionally) SUCKS.
It sucks even more listening to complete morons bitching about features they don't have to use.
If you use your sacred Wintendo Ctrl-C/Ctrl-V you will never know that there is another clipboard.
If you don't like Themes, don't use them, goddamnit.
Just because you are able to recompile the kernel doesn't mean you have to.
Just because you are able to update KDE/Linux every month, doesn't mean you have to.
Just because KDE can look like OSX doesn't mean it has to
Got my message? Well, probably not, whatever.
This exact feature was the reason why I switched from Windows to KDE1 back in 1998.
Now you have demonstrated that you have never used KDE, what was your point again?
What about tabbed browsing?
What about multiple desktops?
What about opening new browser windows with the MMB?
What about themes!
What about scrollbar-jumping?
What about the Alt-modifier key for faster window-manipulation?
MSFT copied often enough and is now clearly lagging behind KDE in the GUI area because they still have a lot to copy to catch up.
The "dotted line" is a button to tear off the menu, one of the best features.
Lindows ships an OS with a browser, an email-client and not much else.
Both reviewer find the former OK, but the latter terrible and unacceptable.
Microsoft charges over 300$ for MS Office and nothing else.
Lindows charges 100$ for OpenOffice plus thousands of programs.
Again, both reviewers find the former OK, but the latter terrible and unacceptable.
Now, I don't think that Lindows gives enough value compared to SuSE or Mandrake, but Lindows still gives more value compared to Windows, even if you put up with their click-and-run scheme.
Lindows just copied Windows:
- Joe buys computer
- Joe gets base OS (Windows or Lindows) but not much else
- Joe knows/finds out that he would have to pay 300$ for MS Office or 100$ for hundreds/thousands of apps, including OpenOffice.
- If Joe is naive he will pay 300$ (on Windows) or 100$ (on Lindows) to get some useful work done.
- Otherwise Joe will use a warez-version of MS Office or check out the legal possibilites of getting Linux-software (or look at another distribution)
If you come from the Windows-world, Lindows doesn't look that bad, IMO.