I agree on everything you said. I agree that the more mainstream linux becomes, the less we will have to deal with MS's rediculous business practices. I agree linux has broad usage, a little unstable in places (so many different versions and TONS of minor compatibility issues). What I like more than anything about linux is that one day, when a linux version has some exclusive advantage over the other linux's (linii?), the consumers, vendors, programmers, and hardware manufacturers won't (might not?) hand that company the keys to a monopoly and (maybe?) make real efforts to keep the options open to everyone's benefit. An important point I made that no one seems to be engaging is the loss of every system slower than a p3 450/celeron 800 to the trash heap. In every major version of windows, micosoft made upgrades for a reason other than arbitraily deciding "it's time for the new stuff/more money". 3.1 was an actual GUI OS (needed) 95 was a GUI that used the pentium's 16-bit architecture for multitasking(needed) NT had true server functionality and admin file security(needed) 98se was 95 with better internet and LAN focus (needed) 2000server is a better server, 32-bit (needed) ME was 98se with system restore (novelty) XP is just a lot of previous ideas, redesigned to where they actually work with redundancies out the yahoo. It also offered a more personal OS for upgrading users. (not a huge step)
So, what I'm saying is this: unless you are running a server or trying to play the latest games, 98se works. The improvements in software in the last 5 years have been less useful. They seem to be primarily changing to keep up with the hardware world's incremental gains. When are we allowed to buy a computer and, unless it breaks, say "this is all I need". I don't need a computer with a robotic thing to stick my thingy into that plugs into a USB3 port, nor do many of my customers. This is going to create a mountain of waste and make it clear to Microsoft that (thanks to hackers) they can force every pre-W2000 user to have to buy their product, again, along with a new computer system to go with it, only because they want to remain safe on the internet. That's not innovation, that's blackmail. I know I may sound old, but I don't really think HDTV is that huge of an improvement, either, and it definitely isn't a change warranting a mandatory upgrade.
btw, I'm not trying to criticize smash. I just think the phasing out of 98 and the unecessary waste that will come from it is a bigger issue than whether or not linux is the answer. Linux users are like lesbians (this is purely metaphor): When some jerk (microsoft) abuses his girlfriend (the unfortunate MS consumer), that seems to be the best time for a lesbian to...okay, nevermind that, sorry.
I use MS operating systems instead of Linux for the same reason I use them instead of Applemac's: that's where all the programs are. That's where the majority of the users are. That's where my money comes from.
I'll tell you this,though. The day the U.N. starts handing out those $100 laptops to millions all over the world, I'll be buying one (probably for a tad more than $100), because the promise of that project looks to be at least 100 million users, I'm not alone in expecting more. Linux is going to get the big bump it needs.
more users=more programs=more support=more techs
MS gets a lot of crap for its monopolistic business practices, crappy product, and it's all true, but the beauty in the MS environment is all the stuff, all the people with the same stuff. All the compatibility. If more game and utility companies would make linux versions, you might have a point. Unfortunately, unless programmers are making an income off of the product, it doesn't get updated, or it does during "hobby-time".
Linux today reminds me of DOS in the mid 90's. There were 7 versions of DOS, but MS-DOS won the battle by being compatible with all the application and game software. I still miss my "gnarly" copy of DR-Dos 6.0, it was better than MS-DOS in every way except application compatibility.
Yes, microsoft should still be supporting dos 5.0...to work with the hardware and peripherals of its time period, to do applications the machine was intended to perform. Laugh, but I know some sorry bastards running W95 on P1's because they don't need anything more than that. We seem to be in one of those b.s. periods in consumerism where novelty and utility are completely irrelative to the other.
98 was intended to surf the internet using TCP/IP and html. Microsft *can't* patch it or WON'T patch it?
I've read some of your comments, and most of them are crap. I'm a net engineer/tech of 20 years. This is the same old BS that software companies pull all the time. "We need more money, your software is old, give us more money 'cause we aren't going to support your product anymore." It's a crappy business practice.
Many people don't need the latest IE, media player, shockwave, java, directx, animated ads, 3mbit broadband, 256mb ddr3 PCIe vidcards (with cooling fans *sigh*), processors that use a rediculous amount of power in both the processor itself and the means to keep it cool...just to check their e-mail, do some word processing, surf, download some media, listen to some music, burn some stuff, and balance a checkbook. There are plenty of Win3.1 programs that do most of this, and I'd only upgrade to Win98se for the internet stuff and the CD functionality. The usefullness, to the average users I see every day, needs only to be upped to XP or 2000server if "little Timmy" needs to play some action game online, teleconference or watch a vid stream smoothly, or use a wireless router with some security. The majority of users aren't even planning on using these in the future. Let's not even talk about how fast a P3 800mhz running 98se with 256mbpc100ram, and a 128mb agp vidcard ran the programs of its day vs. how slow an AMD64, with 1gbDDR2, and a 128pcie vidcard run the larger, clunkier programs of today. I see no improvement, it's even slower. There have been very few actual improvements. One exception would be LCD screens, best thing to happen since broadband, and before that, the cd burner.
What about the old PC's we gave away to charitable organizations? or those that will now end up in the landfill? The end of Wme or W98se will surely mean most computers owned before 2002 will be in landfills.
If companies are going to do this, they should list how long they intend to support the product before you buy it. If this is capitalism, let the markets sort out support time as a factor. I'm sure when I pay $495 for my 5 w98se licenses in 2003 from the computer shop (which I didn't), I was expecting a little more than this. If micros*it had listed "were pulling the plug in 3years" on the box, I'd have looked a little more closely at the Red Hat sitting next to it on the shelf. The one good idea I saw was a pay customer service model, though we shouldn't have to pay it.
In any case, doesn't microsh*t make billions with every release of windows? Why is it too expensive for them to provide support for something that works, they made their money. It isn't fair to compare operating system support to, say, support for Madden '03. It's an operating system. Why don't you end support for ms calculator or solitaire instead? (rant over) (maybe not) I suspect, slightly, that this move comes from the fact that 98se and ME are both so easily copied and MS wants everyone to pay. If this is their logic, while fair in a business sense, it's unfair to their paying users and the environment. (ok, now end rant)
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I agree on everything you said. I agree that the more mainstream linux becomes, the less we will have to deal with MS's rediculous business practices. I agree linux has broad usage, a little unstable in places (so many different versions and TONS of minor compatibility issues). What I like more than anything about linux is that one day, when a linux version has some exclusive advantage over the other linux's (linii?), the consumers, vendors, programmers, and hardware manufacturers won't (might not?) hand that company the keys to a monopoly and (maybe?) make real efforts to keep the options open to everyone's benefit.
An important point I made that no one seems to be engaging is the loss of every system slower than a p3 450/celeron 800 to the trash heap. In every major version of windows, micosoft made upgrades for a reason other than arbitraily deciding "it's time for the new stuff/more money".
3.1 was an actual GUI OS (needed)
95 was a GUI that used the pentium's 16-bit architecture for multitasking(needed)
NT had true server functionality and admin file security(needed)
98se was 95 with better internet and LAN focus (needed)
2000server is a better server, 32-bit (needed)
ME was 98se with system restore (novelty)
XP is just a lot of previous ideas, redesigned to where they actually work with redundancies out the yahoo. It also offered a more personal OS for upgrading users. (not a huge step)
So, what I'm saying is this: unless you are running a server or trying to play the latest games, 98se works. The improvements in software in the last 5 years have been less useful. They seem to be primarily changing to keep up with the hardware world's incremental gains. When are we allowed to buy a computer and, unless it breaks, say "this is all I need". I don't need a computer with a robotic thing to stick my thingy into that plugs into a USB3 port, nor do many of my customers. This is going to create a mountain of waste and make it clear to Microsoft that (thanks to hackers) they can force every pre-W2000 user to have to buy their product, again, along with a new computer system to go with it, only because they want to remain safe on the internet. That's not innovation, that's blackmail. I know I may sound old, but I don't really think HDTV is that huge of an improvement, either, and it definitely isn't a change warranting a mandatory upgrade.
btw, I'm not trying to criticize smash. I just think the phasing out of 98 and the unecessary waste that will come from it is a bigger issue than whether or not linux is the answer. Linux users are like lesbians (this is purely metaphor): When some jerk (microsoft) abuses his girlfriend (the unfortunate MS consumer), that seems to be the best time for a lesbian to...okay, nevermind that, sorry.
I'm just pissed.
I use MS operating systems instead of Linux for the same reason I use them instead of Applemac's: that's where all the programs are. That's where the majority of the users are. That's where my money comes from. I'll tell you this,though. The day the U.N. starts handing out those $100 laptops to millions all over the world, I'll be buying one (probably for a tad more than $100), because the promise of that project looks to be at least 100 million users, I'm not alone in expecting more. Linux is going to get the big bump it needs. more users=more programs=more support=more techs MS gets a lot of crap for its monopolistic business practices, crappy product, and it's all true, but the beauty in the MS environment is all the stuff, all the people with the same stuff. All the compatibility. If more game and utility companies would make linux versions, you might have a point. Unfortunately, unless programmers are making an income off of the product, it doesn't get updated, or it does during "hobby-time". Linux today reminds me of DOS in the mid 90's. There were 7 versions of DOS, but MS-DOS won the battle by being compatible with all the application and game software. I still miss my "gnarly" copy of DR-Dos 6.0, it was better than MS-DOS in every way except application compatibility. Yes, microsoft should still be supporting dos 5.0...to work with the hardware and peripherals of its time period, to do applications the machine was intended to perform. Laugh, but I know some sorry bastards running W95 on P1's because they don't need anything more than that. We seem to be in one of those b.s. periods in consumerism where novelty and utility are completely irrelative to the other. 98 was intended to surf the internet using TCP/IP and html. Microsft *can't* patch it or WON'T patch it?
I've read some of your comments, and most of them are crap. I'm a net engineer/tech of 20 years. This is the same old BS that software companies pull all the time. "We need more money, your software is old, give us more money 'cause we aren't going to support your product anymore." It's a crappy business practice.
Many people don't need the latest IE, media player, shockwave, java, directx, animated ads, 3mbit broadband, 256mb ddr3 PCIe vidcards (with cooling fans *sigh*), processors that use a rediculous amount of power in both the processor itself and the means to keep it cool...just to check their e-mail, do some word processing, surf, download some media, listen to some music, burn some stuff, and balance a checkbook. There are plenty of Win3.1 programs that do most of this, and I'd only upgrade to Win98se for the internet stuff and the CD functionality. The usefullness, to the average users I see every day, needs only to be upped to XP or 2000server if "little Timmy" needs to play some action game online, teleconference or watch a vid stream smoothly, or use a wireless router with some security. The majority of users aren't even planning on using these in the future. Let's not even talk about how fast a P3 800mhz running 98se with 256mbpc100ram, and a 128mb agp vidcard ran the programs of its day vs. how slow an AMD64, with 1gbDDR2, and a 128pcie vidcard run the larger, clunkier programs of today. I see no improvement, it's even slower. There have been very few actual improvements. One exception would be LCD screens, best thing to happen since broadband, and before that, the cd burner.
What about the old PC's we gave away to charitable organizations? or those that will now end up in the landfill? The end of Wme or W98se will surely mean most computers owned before 2002 will be in landfills.
If companies are going to do this, they should list how long they intend to support the product before you buy it. If this is capitalism, let the markets sort out support time as a factor. I'm sure when I pay $495 for my 5 w98se licenses in 2003 from the computer shop (which I didn't), I was expecting a little more than this. If micros*it had listed "were pulling the plug in 3years" on the box, I'd have looked a little more closely at the Red Hat sitting next to it on the shelf. The one good idea I saw was a pay customer service model, though we shouldn't have to pay it.
In any case, doesn't microsh*t make billions with every release of windows? Why is it too expensive for them to provide support for something that works, they made their money. It isn't fair to compare operating system support to, say, support for Madden '03. It's an operating system. Why don't you end support for ms calculator or solitaire instead?
(rant over)
(maybe not)
I suspect, slightly, that this move comes from the fact that 98se and ME are both so easily copied and MS wants everyone to pay. If this is their logic, while fair in a business sense, it's unfair to their paying users and the environment.
(ok, now end rant)