Very insightful, but Gillette making a profit off of shaving cream alone (and giving away razor/blades for free) doesn't smell like a cross-subsidy because you don't have to buy the shaving cream first to get the free stuff. I guess you could think of the razors as advertising for the shaving cream.
As for the rest of the stuff... ad-supported MMOGs being the new wave of "free"? NetZero, AT&T, etc. did that crap to my parents with "free" ad-supported dial-up that always crashed full-screen games like Diablo 2. Not quite free in the "zero cost" sense of the word, as you said.
Because anecdotal evidence represents the pinnacle in accuracy and reliability, I offer my own experiences with the Windows registry.
I've experienced two registry corruptions - one was on Windows 98, and got eaten by the only virus I've ever suffered through.
The second one was on my grandfather's XP computer - the machine booted to the Welcome screen despite having only one user account, but there were no pretty pictures to click on. So, I hit CTRL+ALT+DEL (everyone's favorite key combination!) to get the old NT login screen, and find his username already filled in for me. Hitting OK gave me a "user not found" message.
I rebooted, and it bluescreened before launching the shell, saying that the registry hive was corrupted.
Crappy registry? Maybe, but chkdsk from the XP CD found that the hard disk had failed. >75% bad clusters, and the rest going, I'm sure.
So, I wouldn't worry too much about the registry. It's been there since Windows 95, and it even mostly functioned through a catastrophic disk failure. Besides, Windows keeps backup hives, and System Restore backs it up. Worst case, you're looking at a few minutes on the recovery console.
The article states that the Titanium Dioxide used is the same compound used in sun screen and cosmetics, so it's probably not going to dissolve anyone's wife anytime soon ^.^
They've used this in self-cleaning glass; only problem was they couldn't get it to "stick" to clothing fabric in the same way.
I prefer (morally, if you will) to support artists i like directly, and that's because i know the money won't actually make it to them otherwise.
That's nice, but record labels provide a service, too - marketing, television appearances, music videos, etc. If the band doesn't think the record label's services are worth their fees, fine - but lets leave that up to the bands, shall we?
You guys could have written good specs and straightforward formats and saved yourselves endless grief.
They did. Let me hash out a few websites from the aforementioned blog
Excel had to run on a 20MHz computer with 1MB of memory. Files are binary; just write the data structures out to disk, and read from disk straight into memory. No computer would have had the power to open a large (or small!) XML-esque spreadsheet, for example, within the same business day.
They used existing Windows libraries (OLE, etc.) to make the resulting program smaller and faster. Complete documentation requires detailed explanation of database structures included with Windows 3.11, for example.
They're OLE compound documents. They're file systems within a file. You can't write a full-featured Word processor without being able to parse the Excel document that powers the chart it contains. Implementing this I'm sure was a few lines of code - I remember OLE being a part of Windows 3.11, just link with it and bam! magic happens - but try implementing this on your own.
Because writing an entire file could take upwards of a minute on old computers, even for relatively small files, only the changed data was appended to the end. This cut save times to ~1 second, but makes the file harder to parse.
They were small files. They took up little space on disk and in memory. They saved quickly. They loaded quickly. They were fuckin' magic on computers that had less memory and processing power than my TI-89 graphing calculator.
But, what were good design decisions for a Windows program are problematic for other people to implement. Boo hoo. And what assholes everyone was to the Microsoft poster, btw.
If your child is old enough to use the internet, you should have the sex^H^H^H internet talk with them about what's good and bad, and you expect of their computer use, and what you can do to help.
If you can't trust your, no internet. If they're old enough, you have to be able to trust them to tell you if someone's sending them hate mail.
Filters do nothing but say "I don't trust you, and you are incapable of handling yourself." If that's true, fine; just don't let the munchkins on the computer. If not, why have it?
Applications are responsible for functionality. They're required parts of distros. But, Windows has really deformed people's perceptions of the definition of "operating system" - it's not Media Player and Solitaire; it's the kernel and drivers.
In Europe (or at least in Spain) you have to present a WORKING PROTOTYPE of the thing you want to patent to have it granted.
We do that here in America, also - but generally, only if the feasibility of the invention is in question.
Say somebody tries to patent a warp drive. (Evidently this happens a lot.) The Patent Office will ask for a working prototype to discourage certain types of magical thinking.
But, this wouldn't solve our problem: You can have a working prototype of something completely obvious that has been done before and shouldn't be patented.
You can do 99% of these things before you install Windows, too.
Use the GUI tools in Vista to partition the drive to your liking. XP has something similar, but I haven't installed that OS in a while.
In both versions, bring up the recovery console from the beginnings of the install process and fdisk the hell out of your drive. Have fun.
As for the "what am I, rich?" comment - OEM versions of Windows are cheaper because they are for one machine. If you have a problem with that, don't buy the OEM version.
Nothing wrong with a binary registry, either. The OS comes with GUI tools to edit it, and it's your fault if a virus hoses your Windows box. It's not like AVG Free isn't free or something. Practice safe hex.
The registry has to be fast. It's a relatively crucial part of the operating system. You're not going to have any kind of performance with a gigabyte of XML.
They extended support on XP a while ago, and you can still buy copies if you want. You really don't know what you're talking about, and bashing Microsoft out of ignorance - but, hey, this is slashdot.
You really don't know what you're talking aobut
Re:You need to clarify your question
on
Ethics In IT
·
· Score: 2, Informative
We have got into a world where some companies want to return a greater profit each year and this idea becomes more important to them, than providing a steady living for people.
Businesses aren't welfare programs. Nobody started Microsoft or Proctor & Gamble or big evil entity name here thinking "Hmm, maybe I could employ 400,000 people if only I worked 80 hour weeks for the next ten years or so on the off-chance I might be successful?"
Businesses are supposed to make money. Period. We have laws to keep them from drinking the blood of kittens. Barring unions and closed shops, you are always free to look for another job that will give you a steadier living.
Which is why most places (in my limited experience) try their hardest to make sure their best employees have a "steady living." In any place outside of fast food, turnover is hard on a business. There are financial and opportunity costs involved with training new employees, and a boss that screws over the company for the sake of his paycheck won't be employed long. (Even the most profitable companies will die with enough people bleeding them dry.)
Businesses are here to make money. That's not bad - where do you think your paycheck comes from?
Is C:\Program{insert nasty space here}Files where you want to install your programs
Make a sym link or whatever you linux folk call 'em. Or try c:\progra~1. Or just have the installer put your program somewhere else.
Would you like to install your programs in a separate partition, and leave C: for Windows alone? Nope. Always drive C:, since you can't run the partitioner (a non-destructive partitioner would have to be purchased separately at another software company).
Start -> Control Panel -> Administrative Tools -> Computer Management -> Disk Management. Right click on your disk and "shrink volume" to get free space for a new partition. Right click on the free space, and I'm sure you can figure it out from there.
- How about the Common Files? They're in C: by default, and there's no other way than editing the registry where users can change that.
- And the swap file, would you like it on C: or another partition? By default it's at C:.
How terrible they have defaults. Most people don't care about where their swap file is; those that do can figure out right-click "My Computer" -> Properties -> Advanced -> Performance Settings -> Advanced, or whatever it is.
Never mind ye that most people don't have two partitions on their hard disk, and those that are smart enough to set up another partition can probably figure out how to move the swap file.
Once upon a time, I had tried to manage my HD by making multiple partitions so I wouldn't have to reinstall everything if my windows screwed up, and Windows kept installing DirectX and all the bloatware on C: even after I had hacked registry stuff etc. to make sure everything worked on F:
F for fail. DirectX updates system libraries - if you still have those in C:\WINDOWS (guess you shouldn't have taken the default when you installed Windows, eh?), DirectX will have to update those files. And how'd you manage to screw up your C partition?
Besides, you can't install programs on the "F" partition and then wipe and reinstall Windows on the "C" partition, expecting your progs will be there. Your registry is probably still on C.
My computer is set up with C, D, and E partitions right now. "C" is the Windows install. It has a 24GB swap file because, hey, why not. "D" is my "Userland" partition - my Documents redirect there, and all my homework, music, and media stay on that partition. I can wipe C without losing any documents, though I'll still have to reinstall any programs. E is a Linux partition I was screwing around with.
Remember, kids! There's only one MBR on your hard disk! If you can't figure out Linux's boot loader, make sure you install it beforeXP or Vista or whatever.
Also remember that this isn't "Microsoft Nanny" making decisions for you, or whatever you called them. You only get a "registration limit" if you bought OEM copies of Windows - they're for "new PCs only" and your stinginess means you're not allowed to move them. I've bounced XP from a number of computers without a problem - even after I upgraded one machine to the point that it thought it was a new machine.
Remember, IPv6 is a good thing. More public IP addresses for everyone, and Microsoft's knows they have to support it. Best to work the kinks out now before we run out of IP addresses. Facebook screwed up here - and if you use their site anyway, you have bigger problems than IPv6.
Good luck with your Linux endeavor. Maybe their network stack will support IPv6 sometime soon?
With a Mac, the average user does not need any additional software whatsoever
Sounds like vendor lock-in and monopoly powers! ^.^
Anyway - Windows isn't an "it just works" OS; it's an "it just WORKED" OS. It worked when Dell installed it on your computer in the factory, worked a little less when they loaded it with "value-added" crap, and stopped working when you decided to download the internet despite numerous "allow/deny" warnings and virusscanner screamings...
You don't have to be an "IT Expert" to avoid PEBKAC syndrome. Let your Windows and your virusscanner update every once in a while, and you'll be fine.
As for Macs - the premium charged for the Apple round and shiny could buy you a Vista round and shiny. You can get a damn fine Alienware PC with Vista (Windows DVD Maker, Movie Maker, Messenger, Mail, Calendar, Solitaire (of course), Gallery, Media Center, Internet Explorer, etc.) and Office for $1099. Alienware (and I'm sure everyone who's not Dell or HP) won't bundle crapware, and work out of the box.
Vista addicts, flame me if you'd like, but I'd rather hear some intelligent reasons why anyone would choose to use Vista over older faster, more stable XP.
Damn, intelligent! Okay...
My experience with XP is building my family's machine and then living on it (I was in high school at the time). I used it for gaming, Visual Studio (C, C++ programmer), homework (Office 2003/2007), and media (Japanesian cartoons on a TV - video cards rock.) I had an Intel 3.4GHz proc with that hyperthreading magic, 1 GB of RAM, and a GeForce 6800.
XP was solid, but I had constant bluescreens when playing videogames. Replacing the videocard mostly fixed this, but my brother still reports it happening every once in a while.
My experience with Vista is building my own PC and buying the latest copy of Windows off of the shelf. Same gaming, an increased Visual Studio usage, less media. (I'm not at home to steal my parents television anymore.) I'm now running the 64-bit version of "Home Premium" on a 2.66GHz dual-core, 2GB of RAM, and an 8800GTX.
The slow file transfers bugged the hell out of me. But, the beta version of SP1 I'm using fixed that to ~XP levels. I haven't done measurements or tests or anything like that, but file copy isn't noticably different than what I'd expect from my family's computer.
Vista's media center used to crash constantly, but there was a stability update that fixed that. I installed some beta nVidia drivers to run Crysis, and those crashed occaisionally. But, the release versions didn't. My computer is on constantly so Outlook can beep at me when I should move, and hasn't bluescreened for months.
I really wonder what people do to their computers. I've used Windows 3.11 (dad's old office machine), 95 (cousin's old gaming rig), 98SE (old family computer), ME (stupid grandparents), XP (current family computer), and Vista (my gaming rig). Never had any crashes or bluescreens, other than when McAfee on the '98 box decided it wanted to rape some VxD drivers, or when Windows 3.11 would run out of memory after being left on too long. XP had crashes related to the video driver, but I suspect the case I chose was baking the videocard alive. My machine doesn't crash.
Now... why would I choose Vista over XP? My biggest reason was DirectX 10 - and the shininess was worth it, IMHO. Could they release it for XP? Probably - I heard the Vista kernel was vastly different than the XP kernel in some important ways, yadda yadda, but they probably could've still done it. But, it is pretty, does run all of my programs (Except Might and Magic 4), and I've been laughing at people who complain about their $399 Dell being slow.
You get what you pay for. Your mileage may vary. My girlfriend's parent's Vista box has been raped by Azureus, Norton (they uninstalled AVG, and then a license of Windows Live OneCare I gave them), Yahoo! install CD add-ons, and overlapping parental controls (Vista AND ISP) that keep even the admin account from sending e-mail or surfing the web.
All I can say is "Don't fuck up your computer." And don't buy one that comes pre-fucked either; it's not really a time-saver. As for your 8GB Xeon... if you don't want it, I'll take it.
Sadly, any religion that claims to be a religion of peace is lying through its teeth. When people abandon their faculty of reason and start to believe in the imaginary, they lose their means to negotiate with others
Sadly, you're assuming that all religion is irrational and imaginary. If you assume that most people are irrational and live in fantasy land, you've lost your means to communicate with others.
Sounds a helluva lot like G Gundam, or whatever it's called.
Instead of colonies nuking Earth (done already), why not have giant robot pewpewpew slaughter contests on Earth to settle disputes amongst the colonies?
Slashdot Mirror
Very insightful, but Gillette making a profit off of shaving cream alone (and giving away razor/blades for free) doesn't smell like a cross-subsidy because you don't have to buy the shaving cream first to get the free stuff. I guess you could think of the razors as advertising for the shaving cream.
As for the rest of the stuff... ad-supported MMOGs being the new wave of "free"? NetZero, AT&T, etc. did that crap to my parents with "free" ad-supported dial-up that always crashed full-screen games like Diablo 2. Not quite free in the "zero cost" sense of the word, as you said.
Because anecdotal evidence represents the pinnacle in accuracy and reliability, I offer my own experiences with the Windows registry.
I've experienced two registry corruptions - one was on Windows 98, and got eaten by the only virus I've ever suffered through.
The second one was on my grandfather's XP computer - the machine booted to the Welcome screen despite having only one user account, but there were no pretty pictures to click on. So, I hit CTRL+ALT+DEL (everyone's favorite key combination!) to get the old NT login screen, and find his username already filled in for me. Hitting OK gave me a "user not found" message.
I rebooted, and it bluescreened before launching the shell, saying that the registry hive was corrupted.
Crappy registry? Maybe, but chkdsk from the XP CD found that the hard disk had failed. >75% bad clusters, and the rest going, I'm sure.
So, I wouldn't worry too much about the registry. It's been there since Windows 95, and it even mostly functioned through a catastrophic disk failure. Besides, Windows keeps backup hives, and System Restore backs it up. Worst case, you're looking at a few minutes on the recovery console.
It's a good thing women only exist on the internet then, unless I've been grossly misinformed...
The article states that the Titanium Dioxide used is the same compound used in sun screen and cosmetics, so it's probably not going to dissolve anyone's wife anytime soon ^.^
They've used this in self-cleaning glass; only problem was they couldn't get it to "stick" to clothing fabric in the same way.
I prefer (morally, if you will) to support artists i like directly, and that's because i know the money won't actually make it to them otherwise.
That's nice, but record labels provide a service, too - marketing, television appearances, music videos, etc. If the band doesn't think the record label's services are worth their fees, fine - but lets leave that up to the bands, shall we?
maybe I never would have bought their CD anyway
But now that you already have it, you definitely won't pay for it. 90% of the time, that's true all the time.
Maybe you didn't cause economic damages. But you took something you have no right to and compensated no one.
You guys could have written good specs and straightforward formats and saved yourselves endless grief.
They did. Let me hash out a few websites from the aforementioned blog
Excel had to run on a 20MHz computer with 1MB of memory. Files are binary; just write the data structures out to disk, and read from disk straight into memory. No computer would have had the power to open a large (or small!) XML-esque spreadsheet, for example, within the same business day.
They used existing Windows libraries (OLE, etc.) to make the resulting program smaller and faster. Complete documentation requires detailed explanation of database structures included with Windows 3.11, for example.
They're OLE compound documents. They're file systems within a file. You can't write a full-featured Word processor without being able to parse the Excel document that powers the chart it contains. Implementing this I'm sure was a few lines of code - I remember OLE being a part of Windows 3.11, just link with it and bam! magic happens - but try implementing this on your own.
Because writing an entire file could take upwards of a minute on old computers, even for relatively small files, only the changed data was appended to the end. This cut save times to ~1 second, but makes the file harder to parse.
They were small files. They took up little space on disk and in memory. They saved quickly. They loaded quickly. They were fuckin' magic on computers that had less memory and processing power than my TI-89 graphing calculator.
But, what were good design decisions for a Windows program are problematic for other people to implement. Boo hoo. And what assholes everyone was to the Microsoft poster, btw.
"RC1 isn't the shipping OS" You sure about that?
Yup. 'Cuz there was an RC2. Maybe an RC3, too; I only had RC2.
How about "No, having a copy of this CD isn't stealing because I didn't take it away from anyone!"?
No, but neither artist nor label has the $10 now.
Why most people don't care to distinguish between the different kinds of economic gain you can have at someone else's expense.
No. Theft is Theft. Copyright infringement is Copyright infringement. Both illegal, but both very distinct and seperated. Why do people not get this?
Either way, you're getting something you haven't paid for, so the distinction is lost on most people.
"No, having a copy of this CD isn't stealing because it's intellectual property!" doesn't make sense to most people.
You shouldn't need a filter.
If your child is old enough to use the internet, you should have the sex^H^H^H internet talk with them about what's good and bad, and you expect of their computer use, and what you can do to help.
If you can't trust your, no internet. If they're old enough, you have to be able to trust them to tell you if someone's sending them hate mail.
Filters do nothing but say "I don't trust you, and you are incapable of handling yourself." If that's true, fine; just don't let the munchkins on the computer. If not, why have it?
So... take away her admin account?
It's kinda unfair to expect you to keep fixing her computer when she keeps uninstalling the firewall.
you can use the Vista CD to repair those errors, unless you paid for the downloadable version which doesn't come on a CD
Some poster way up the page linked to a fix for those without a CD. Here's the short version:
Anyone "savvy" enough to install Windows over the tubes should know about safe mode, the most enduring feature from Windows 95. ^.^
Shell != operating system.
Implementation of C libraries = kernel interface.
Applications are responsible for functionality. They're required parts of distros. But, Windows has really deformed people's perceptions of the definition of "operating system" - it's not Media Player and Solitaire; it's the kernel and drivers.
What the hell is the difference? An operating system is a collection of software.
Wrong. An Operating System manages hardware, and generally exposes some kind of interface to software applications.
"Notepad" is not a part of the "operating system" just because it came on your XP disc.
Rule of thumb: If it runs in userland and not in kernel space, it's not part of the operating system.
Emacs 2.2: 36Mb zipped. (http://ftp.gnu.org/pub/gnu/emacs/windows/)
Visual Studio 2008 Professional Edition: 2.2Gb required disk space (http://msdn2.microsoft.com/en-us/vs2008/products/bb894726.aspx)
They got an entire operating system into 36Mb?
Probably because they left out the editor. That's the 2.2 Gb. ^.^
In Europe (or at least in Spain) you have to present a WORKING PROTOTYPE of the thing you want to patent to have it granted.
We do that here in America, also - but generally, only if the feasibility of the invention is in question.
Say somebody tries to patent a warp drive. (Evidently this happens a lot.) The Patent Office will ask for a working prototype to discourage certain types of magical thinking.
But, this wouldn't solve our problem: You can have a working prototype of something completely obvious that has been done before and shouldn't be patented.
You can do 99% of these things before you install Windows, too.
Use the GUI tools in Vista to partition the drive to your liking. XP has something similar, but I haven't installed that OS in a while.
In both versions, bring up the recovery console from the beginnings of the install process and fdisk the hell out of your drive. Have fun.
As for the "what am I, rich?" comment - OEM versions of Windows are cheaper because they are for one machine. If you have a problem with that, don't buy the OEM version.
Nothing wrong with a binary registry, either. The OS comes with GUI tools to edit it, and it's your fault if a virus hoses your Windows box. It's not like AVG Free isn't free or something. Practice safe hex.
The registry has to be fast. It's a relatively crucial part of the operating system. You're not going to have any kind of performance with a gigabyte of XML.
They extended support on XP a while ago, and you can still buy copies if you want. You really don't know what you're talking about, and bashing Microsoft out of ignorance - but, hey, this is slashdot.
You really don't know what you're talking aobut
We have got into a world where some companies want to return a greater profit each year and this idea becomes more important to them, than providing a steady living for people.
Businesses aren't welfare programs. Nobody started Microsoft or Proctor & Gamble or big evil entity name here thinking "Hmm, maybe I could employ 400,000 people if only I worked 80 hour weeks for the next ten years or so on the off-chance I might be successful?"
Businesses are supposed to make money. Period. We have laws to keep them from drinking the blood of kittens. Barring unions and closed shops, you are always free to look for another job that will give you a steadier living.
Which is why most places (in my limited experience) try their hardest to make sure their best employees have a "steady living." In any place outside of fast food, turnover is hard on a business. There are financial and opportunity costs involved with training new employees, and a boss that screws over the company for the sake of his paycheck won't be employed long. (Even the most profitable companies will die with enough people bleeding them dry.)
Businesses are here to make money. That's not bad - where do you think your paycheck comes from?
Is C:\Program{insert nasty space here}Files where you want to install your programs
Make a sym link or whatever you linux folk call 'em. Or try c:\progra~1. Or just have the installer put your program somewhere else.
Would you like to install your programs in a separate partition, and leave C: for Windows alone? Nope. Always drive C:, since you can't run the partitioner (a non-destructive partitioner would have to be purchased separately at another software company).
Start -> Control Panel -> Administrative Tools -> Computer Management -> Disk Management. Right click on your disk and "shrink volume" to get free space for a new partition. Right click on the free space, and I'm sure you can figure it out from there.
- How about the Common Files? They're in C: by default, and there's no other way than editing the registry where users can change that.
- And the swap file, would you like it on C: or another partition? By default it's at C:.
How terrible they have defaults. Most people don't care about where their swap file is; those that do can figure out right-click "My Computer" -> Properties -> Advanced -> Performance Settings -> Advanced, or whatever it is.
Never mind ye that most people don't have two partitions on their hard disk, and those that are smart enough to set up another partition can probably figure out how to move the swap file.
Once upon a time, I had tried to manage my HD by making multiple partitions so I wouldn't have to reinstall everything if my windows screwed up, and Windows kept installing DirectX and all the bloatware on C: even after I had hacked registry stuff etc. to make sure everything worked on F:
F for fail. DirectX updates system libraries - if you still have those in C:\WINDOWS (guess you shouldn't have taken the default when you installed Windows, eh?), DirectX will have to update those files. And how'd you manage to screw up your C partition?
Besides, you can't install programs on the "F" partition and then wipe and reinstall Windows on the "C" partition, expecting your progs will be there. Your registry is probably still on C.
My computer is set up with C, D, and E partitions right now. "C" is the Windows install. It has a 24GB swap file because, hey, why not. "D" is my "Userland" partition - my Documents redirect there, and all my homework, music, and media stay on that partition. I can wipe C without losing any documents, though I'll still have to reinstall any programs. E is a Linux partition I was screwing around with.
Remember, kids! There's only one MBR on your hard disk! If you can't figure out Linux's boot loader, make sure you install it beforeXP or Vista or whatever.
Also remember that this isn't "Microsoft Nanny" making decisions for you, or whatever you called them. You only get a "registration limit" if you bought OEM copies of Windows - they're for "new PCs only" and your stinginess means you're not allowed to move them. I've bounced XP from a number of computers without a problem - even after I upgraded one machine to the point that it thought it was a new machine.
Remember, IPv6 is a good thing. More public IP addresses for everyone, and Microsoft's knows they have to support it. Best to work the kinks out now before we run out of IP addresses. Facebook screwed up here - and if you use their site anyway, you have bigger problems than IPv6.
Good luck with your Linux endeavor. Maybe their network stack will support IPv6 sometime soon?
With a Mac, the average user does not need any additional software whatsoever
Sounds like vendor lock-in and monopoly powers! ^.^
Anyway - Windows isn't an "it just works" OS; it's an "it just WORKED" OS. It worked when Dell installed it on your computer in the factory, worked a little less when they loaded it with "value-added" crap, and stopped working when you decided to download the internet despite numerous "allow/deny" warnings and virusscanner screamings...
You don't have to be an "IT Expert" to avoid PEBKAC syndrome. Let your Windows and your virusscanner update every once in a while, and you'll be fine.
As for Macs - the premium charged for the Apple round and shiny could buy you a Vista round and shiny. You can get a damn fine Alienware PC with Vista (Windows DVD Maker, Movie Maker, Messenger, Mail, Calendar, Solitaire (of course), Gallery, Media Center, Internet Explorer, etc.) and Office for $1099. Alienware (and I'm sure everyone who's not Dell or HP) won't bundle crapware, and work out of the box.
Vista addicts, flame me if you'd like, but I'd rather hear some intelligent reasons why anyone would choose to use Vista over older faster, more stable XP.
Damn, intelligent! Okay...
My experience with XP is building my family's machine and then living on it (I was in high school at the time). I used it for gaming, Visual Studio (C, C++ programmer), homework (Office 2003/2007), and media (Japanesian cartoons on a TV - video cards rock.) I had an Intel 3.4GHz proc with that hyperthreading magic, 1 GB of RAM, and a GeForce 6800.
XP was solid, but I had constant bluescreens when playing videogames. Replacing the videocard mostly fixed this, but my brother still reports it happening every once in a while.
My experience with Vista is building my own PC and buying the latest copy of Windows off of the shelf. Same gaming, an increased Visual Studio usage, less media. (I'm not at home to steal my parents television anymore.) I'm now running the 64-bit version of "Home Premium" on a 2.66GHz dual-core, 2GB of RAM, and an 8800GTX.
The slow file transfers bugged the hell out of me. But, the beta version of SP1 I'm using fixed that to ~XP levels. I haven't done measurements or tests or anything like that, but file copy isn't noticably different than what I'd expect from my family's computer.
Vista's media center used to crash constantly, but there was a stability update that fixed that. I installed some beta nVidia drivers to run Crysis, and those crashed occaisionally. But, the release versions didn't. My computer is on constantly so Outlook can beep at me when I should move, and hasn't bluescreened for months.
I really wonder what people do to their computers. I've used Windows 3.11 (dad's old office machine), 95 (cousin's old gaming rig), 98SE (old family computer), ME (stupid grandparents), XP (current family computer), and Vista (my gaming rig). Never had any crashes or bluescreens, other than when McAfee on the '98 box decided it wanted to rape some VxD drivers, or when Windows 3.11 would run out of memory after being left on too long. XP had crashes related to the video driver, but I suspect the case I chose was baking the videocard alive. My machine doesn't crash.
Now... why would I choose Vista over XP? My biggest reason was DirectX 10 - and the shininess was worth it, IMHO. Could they release it for XP? Probably - I heard the Vista kernel was vastly different than the XP kernel in some important ways, yadda yadda, but they probably could've still done it. But, it is pretty, does run all of my programs (Except Might and Magic 4), and I've been laughing at people who complain about their $399 Dell being slow.
You get what you pay for. Your mileage may vary. My girlfriend's parent's Vista box has been raped by Azureus, Norton (they uninstalled AVG, and then a license of Windows Live OneCare I gave them), Yahoo! install CD add-ons, and overlapping parental controls (Vista AND ISP) that keep even the admin account from sending e-mail or surfing the web.
All I can say is "Don't fuck up your computer." And don't buy one that comes pre-fucked either; it's not really a time-saver. As for your 8GB Xeon... if you don't want it, I'll take it.
Sadly, any religion that claims to be a religion of peace is lying through its teeth. When people abandon their faculty of reason and start to believe in the imaginary, they lose their means to negotiate with others
Sadly, you're assuming that all religion is irrational and imaginary. If you assume that most people are irrational and live in fantasy land, you've lost your means to communicate with others.
Escape + Meta + Alt + Control + Shift + Tab = Flip3D
Sounds a helluva lot like G Gundam, or whatever it's called. Instead of colonies nuking Earth (done already), why not have giant robot pewpewpew slaughter contests on Earth to settle disputes amongst the colonies?