Top 10 Reasons to buy Windows Vista

[sdowney717]

Top 10 Reasons to buy Windows Vista
http://limulus.wordpress.com/tag/ubuntu/

Thursday, May 31st, 2007

As seen here:

10. Catchy new marketing slogan - “Buy our software or we will sue you”
9. It is a perfect reason for upgrading your 15 month old machine.
8. Not to mention every single one of your applications.
7. The latest versions of Solitaire and Minesweeper are included at no extra charge.
6. Windows - A stolen trademark you know and love. Linux - You don’t even know how to pronounce it.
5. Think of it as XP with a new splash screen - we do.
4. We beat out Duke Nukem Forever’s release by about 6 months.
3. Exciting new service packs out soon! Think of them as added missions.
2. They haven’t had a chance to write the viruses yet. Well not many of them anyway. Relatively speaking.
1. According to accounting, we already sold you a license anyway.

Also… “Top 5 Crapware that comes pre-installed on new [Windows] PCs” as compiled by CNET:

5. Store-brand utilities (e.g. “IBM-branded volume control” software) when the OS should suffice for this
4. Trialware (”Oh yes! Fill up my hard drive with crippled software PLEASE!” http://ubuntuforums.org/images/smilies/icon_wink.gif
3. Toolbars (for browsers)
2. ISP (sign-up offers)
1. Antivirus (”the worst form of trialware; people need antivirus protection”)

Note that all of the above junk (even the “need” for antivirus software) is eliminated if you buy computers with Linux preinstalled http://ubuntuforums.org/images/smilies/icon_smile.gif

and from the same video, the Top 5 Free (as in $) [Windows] Software:

5. SeaMonkey
4. Gaim
3. AVG Antivirus
2. ZoneAlarm
1. OpenOffice

Note that except for the two that make up for Windows’ shortcomings (ZoneAlarm to close gaping open ports and AVG to work-around security oversights), the rest are also software libre; Ubuntu comes with OpenOffice and Gaim (now “Pidgin“) preinstalled (and SeaMonkey is an easy download away, though Firefox (preinstalled) is very nice IMHO http://ubuntuforums.org/images/smilies/icon_smile.gif

So really, if you haven’t given Linux a try lately, go for it! My personal recommendation is Ubuntu, but if you want a second option, a lot of people like PCLinuxOS too.

[Wild Wassa]

It isn't all bad with Vista. Vista has one really excellent feature.

In the 'Windows Mail' there is a function that keeps diverting real mail into the junk mail folder while allowing the spam and junk mail a free reign in the incoming mail directory.

I didn't know there was a junk mail folder for weeks ... I still have a backload of mail to answer. Vista needs a hotfix patch that comes with its own compitent secretary.

My needs are few on a computer. Now those few needs have been made so complex ... I now need a secretary with a memory like a computer.

Warren.

[Rum_Pirate]

That's why i use an iMac

[Norman Bernstein]

I have no particular love for Microsoft.... in fact, it's the company I love to hate.

However, I think you Linux and iMac guys go wayyyyy overboard.

Ingrid Bergman was once quoted about the merits of different languages. She said that French was the language of romance, English the language of diplomacy, and Swedish was the language of secrecy.... "because so few people know it."

I think it's analogous to the Windows vs. Linux/Mac argument: the latter two have such a small market share, they don't attract nearly as much attention, and I believe it's part of the reason why people think they're far more crash-resistant and virus immune. If either of them were sitting on 96% of the desktops in this world, you can bet that aftermarket software applications would crash, and they'd be bedeviled with viruses, as well.

Just my opinion.

[Rum_Pirate]

However, I think you Linux and iMac guys go wayyyyy overboard.
I think it's analogous to the Windows vs. Linux/Mac argument: the latter two have such a small market share, they don't attract nearly as much attention, and I believe it's part of the reason why people think they're far more crash-resistant and virus immune. If either of them were sitting on 96% of the desktops in this world, you can bet that aftermarket software applications would crash, and they'd be bedeviled with viruses, as well. Just my opinion.
I actually currently own a DELL (PC) and an imac and an iBook and a Power Mac G5.

In my experience, the Mac's are by far much much easier to use.
EG
I had a CD for a game for my young daughter.
The Dell is at home for children's use as they use one at school.
I read the instructions carefully.
There were 8 numbered steps.
I had to re-do the installation twice.

While it was installing I read the instructions for use on a Mac.
1. Insert CD and press 'Play'.

I really do not need my life to be complicated :)

[Bruce Hooke]

I mostly work on PC's because that is what I learned on in the business world and some of the software I use is only available for the PC. That said, I have some experience around Macs and my take has been that a lot of everyday tasks are indeed easier on the mac, but that when something goes wrong it can be harder to fix because the intuitive interface means some of the nitty-gritty controls are more buried. Maybe this was just my perception since I know where to find stuff on a PC.

As far as Linux goes, my websites are hosted on a Linux server and it does a very nice job. However, as far as I can tell, when it comes to desktops Linux is still an OS for people who like to tinker with their computer or for a setting where there is someone who is paid to take care of making sure the computers work properly. If you simply want to be able to plunk down some money and have a computer and software that you know will work without having to research which particular build to install and search for special drivers and so on, Linux is not the way to go.

[DavidF]

I use a mac at work and a pc (dell) at home. My dells have never offered me grief. But the macs!, well Steve Jobs owes me and my boss and my students a crapload of money for the time and frustration he has cost us. I swear if I ever see that poodle sucker in person I will knock his nose down his throat. (I know it sounds like I am exagerating but I really hate him for the pain he has caused me with his counter-intuitive design-first, screw-the-function mentality.) I know a guy with arthritis, makes his fingers look like ice hooks. Turns out there is a macro that deletes all files with three simultaneous key strokes, keys that only a guy with arthritis could hit at the same time. Jobs wrote my friend a personal letter admitting there was a glitch that erases all files. He didn't apologize and he didn't fix the problem. The autobiography this guy was writing disappeared and cannot be brought back.

Macs may be good for some jobs, but for a teacher who must manage 12,000 questions an hour from impatient kids, I would be better off with an old fashioned pencil, type writer, abacus, slide rule, protractor, dictionary, library, or dell.

Anyone is welcome to join my I Hate Steve Jobs Anti-Fan Club.

[WX]

Norman, there are no Linux viruses because of the way the OS is setup, for starters the virus would need the root password to attack the system files. that's just for starters.
if it was possible to crash a Linux system with a virus, Microsoft would have written one by now:D. As for the Linux version of the blue screen of death, there isn't one...some open source software might crash from time to time but I have never had Linux crash.

[Kaa]

Norman, there are no Linux viruses because of the way the OS is setup, for starters the virus would need the root password to attack the system files. that's just for starters.
if it was possible to crash a Linux system with a virus, Microsoft would have written one by now:D. As for the Linux version of the blue screen of death, there isn't one...some open source software might crash from time to time but I have never had Linux crash.

Um, no. There's nothing in the design of Linux OS that would preclude the possibility of viruses. And it's possible for a virus that gets in as a normal user to become root -- such things are called privilege escalation attacks and are quite common. Depending on how a particular Linux system is set up it also may be possible to kill the system purely from the userspace, too.

As to Linux crashing, well, I've certainly seen it die on boot being unable to deal with the hardware it found (or didn't find). I don't recall any actual kernel panics, but it's not all that unusual to crash X-Window. The net effect is largely the same -- you have to restart the system.

Kaa

[WX]

Damn! Kaa, I was hoping no one would mention that:D
No OS is idiot proof, I have crashed Linux on a number of occasions but that has been the result of me fiddling with important files. However once you have your system setup (including hardware etc) and a good secure root password then it is very stable. I Have never seen a system just go bellyup by itself or because it was shutdown wrongly. I have lost certain functions or the xserver through an upgrade but it has usually been recoverable via the comandline. The only times I have resorted to a re install has been due more to my lack of knowledge than a completely broken system.

[George Roberts]

While it is nice to know that systems other than Windows exist, that does not help people who are tied to Windows by virtue of their applications.

My wife runs 6 or 7 applications that only run on Windows. We have no problems with attacks. We use no anti- software products.

---

I don't know if Linux or Apple software are "immune" to attacks, but I know that attacking either is not a goal of most people with time and not a need for compensation.

One does not need privileges to attack a system, simply access to a program that runs from time to time - a user application is sufficient.

I suspect a competent Windows user can ward off any attack without software assistance.

[S/V Laura Ellen]

I suspect a competent Windows user can ward off any attack without software assistance.

Sure, if the PC is not on the network and you don't copy any files onto to it from other computers, you're safe without software assistance (you have created your own virtual firewall). If that isn't the case you're just lucky.

[S/V Laura Ellen]

Norman, there are no Linux viruses because of the way the OS is setup, for starters the virus would need the root password to attack the system files. that's just for starters.
if it was possible to crash a Linux system with a virus, Microsoft would have written one by now:D. As for the Linux version of the blue screen of death, there isn't one...some open source software might crash from time to time but I have never had Linux crash.

Linux (or any Unix based kernel) is not immune from virus attacks. Just because you have never had Linux crash doesn't mean that it can't/won't crash.

[Kaa]

I suspect a competent Windows user can ward off any attack without software assistance.

That's a very curious statement. What do you mean, "ward off any attack"? You can't defend against a threat you don't know exists, and many software attacks take less than a second to execute...

Kaa

[ccmanuals]

I still have a couple of Banyan Vines Servers that run on SCO Unix kernal. Ok, can anyone Google up a virus or vulnerability on the NOS???

Dig real deep. I don't think you will find one.

Note: I'm not talking about the client here or any third party add on's. But the NOS it's self.

[Rum_Pirate]

I use a mac at work and a pc (dell) at home. My dells have never offered me grief. But the macs!, well Steve Jobs owes me and my boss and my students a crapload of money for the time and frustration he has cost us. I swear if I ever see that poodle sucker in person I will knock his nose down his throat. (I know it sounds like I am exagerating but I really hate him for the pain he has caused me with his counter-intuitive design-first, screw-the-function mentality.) I know a guy with arthritis, makes his fingers look like ice hooks. Turns out there is a macro that deletes all files with three simultaneous key strokes, keys that only a guy with arthritis could hit at the same time. Jobs wrote my friend a personal letter admitting there was a glitch that erases all files. He didn't apologize and he didn't fix the problem. The autobiography this guy was writing disappeared and cannot be brought back.


Erm, isn't one of the basis best/recommended practices (regardless of computer) to back-up? :rolleyes:

What if the electricity supply fried the computer?

Or somebody stole it?




Macs may be good for some jobs, but for a teacher who must manage 12,000 questions an hour from impatient kids, I would be better off with an old fashioned pencil, type writer, abacus, slide rule, protractor, dictionary, library, or dell. "must manage 12,000 questions an hour"I have got to meet you and doff my cap. ;)



Anyone is welcome to join my I Hate Steve Jobs Anti-Fan Club. Erm, let me get my mind (subject to correction) around all these double negatives.

"I Hate Steve Jobs Anti-Fan Club". This is an anti-fan club of Steve Jobs, which you hate - so you like Steve Jobs? :confused: :confused::rolleyes:
Please elaborate. :o

[DavidF]

No, Rum Pirate, the point is my personal experience with Macs has been very bad. I have a tough job (exageration is a well established method of emphasizing a point) that requires good tools. Macs aren't up the challenges of my job. And if any of you think teaching 13-year-olds the proper rules of grammar is easy, please explain yourselves.

And yes, my friend should have backed up his files. But why would Mac engineers design a machine with a macro that deletes all files without warning?

Further, what we know now about double negatives is that they do not contradict and create the opposite intent but aim to help the reader understand that you really, really mean what you are trying to say.

I rant because of how unnecessarilly difficult Steve Jobs has made my work. Again, a personal reaction. And if any of you are personally associated with Steve, I apologize to you lovers of wooden boats. And I also ask you to personally extend an invitation on my behalf to meet with the scurvy lubber so I can keel haul him.

[Donn]

And I also ask you to personally extend an invitation on my behalf to meet with the scurvy lubber so I can keel haul him.

I'd happily crew on that mission.

Oh, and please keep at the grammar effort with the kids. It may prevent them from turning into the sort of illiterates who populate this forum.:D

[elf]

No, Rum Pirate, the point is my personal experience with Macs has been very bad. I have a tough job (exageration is a well established method of emphasizing a point) that requires good tools. Macs aren't up the challenges of my job. And if any of you think teaching 13-year-olds the proper rules of grammar is easy, please explain yourselves.
You might start with spelling - exageration? My Mac dictionary says it's spelled exaggeration. After that, if you're in to grammar, I suggest you get your numbers to match "if any of you think" is correctly "if any of you thinks".


And yes, my friend should have backed up his files. But why would Mac engineers design a machine with a macro that deletes all files without warning?
Perhaps because it had nothing to do with the Mac? Perhaps it was a Word macro? In 13 years of using Macs I've never seen a macro similar to what your describe, so I suspect there's more to the story than you're presenting.

I rant because of how unnecessarilly difficult Steve Jobs has made my work. Again, a personal reaction. Yes, it must surely be personal. Since Mr. Jobs product has made my work, and that of most of my colleagues, much simpler it would be helpful to hear further about how he's made yours so stressful.

[elf]

A disk recovery program could have gotten his book back. Macs take about 18 hours to fully reformat a disk, so I doubt that the 3 finger salute actually deleted the book.

[Rum_Pirate]

No, Rum Pirate, the point is my personal experience with Macs has been very bad. I have a tough job (exageration is a well established method of emphasizing a point) that requires good tools. Macs aren't up the challenges of my job. And if any of you think teaching 13-year-olds the proper rules of grammar is easy, please explain yourselves. My sister is a teacher so I can sympathise.
Over exaggeration can be detrimental.
If you are trying to teach proper grammer in the good ole US of A you have my undying sympathy. :rolleyes: I can elaborate if you wish]
From my situation, I started in 1987 with a SE30, have never had a formal lesson other than how to open a folder and a file along with click and drag. I have since used an iMac, a Power G5, an iBook, a new iMac. I do use Microsoft Office.
While I do admit to having two problems (the iBook's screen went bad - put right at Apples' cost) and another problem which turned out to be my fault, also never having a virus (only putting Norton on last year since 1987), in comparison to my friends and their experiences with their PC's, with the better ease of use from day one I can honestly say that so far I have had a far, by far yes by far, better ride.


Macs aren't up the challenges of my job. Sorry if this sounds insulting but are you sure that you are using it correctly?

[elf]

Norton is a no-no for Macs. If you must use anti-virus software use Virex. But the Mac-L universally agrees that viruses are so rare that they can be counted on the fingers of one hand, and none have yet been invented that can permeate the entire OS.

Also, avoid the most recent 10.4.10 upgrade. Wait for Leopard.

In my experience, nursing a coterie of 5 of my friends in use of their Macs, operator error is the universal problem, except for Comcast and Verizon issues. And, to make matters more complicated, my coterie can't tell the difference between those two types of problems. They just call me and say "something is wrong with my computer."

[WX]

Does anyone know of a Linux virus that isn't just proof of concept? I'm talking about a virus that has actually infected a non testbed machine and brought it down.
I have never heard of one. I have been using various Linux distros for the last 5 years without any form of antivirus application and have never had any trouble...same applies to spyware...none. yeah I know a Linux machine can be hacked but that's different.

[Phil Heffernan]

I think it's analogous to the Windows vs. Linux/Mac argument: the latter two have such a small market share, they don't attract nearly as much attention, and I believe it's part of the reason why people think they're far more crash-resistant and virus immune. If either of them were sitting on 96% of the desktops in this world, you can bet that aftermarket software applications would crash, and they'd be bedeviled with viruses, as well.

Just my opinion.

But that's not the case, is it Norm? If you are a lemming, you will attract lemming viruses. Why anyone, in this age of rampant PC viruses, and an OS (MAC) that runs ALL GUI options, let those of feeble mind sign up for the onslaught ;)

PH

[DavidF]

Not all my experiences with macs were bad. I had a g4 that did it's job well. And I do like the speed with which macs load.

The guy who lost the book worked his way up the chain of techies to a personal conversation with Jobs who said sorry, but his arthritis was to blame although the macro did in fact exist. The book was gone. (But the book is never gone as anyone who forgets to save frequently knows. It comes out more easily the second time. It's just that the waste of time is frustrating. He rewrote it in a few months tho' he still can't get it published.)

My specific problems have to do with networking macs, the difficulty in resetting defaults and counter-intuitive word processing applications. These problems can be sorted out. But when you have 45 minutes to get something done and you use of 10 of them messing with computers, then you have also lost the remaining 35 because a kid's attention is hard to regain.

As for my personal foibles, yes I make grammatical mistakes, often. I still know the rules and when I take the time to self-edit, I usually can make it sound right.

I only jumped into the conversation because I am one of those people for whom windows is a better product. It is not, as the mac lovers often insist, that windows is inferior and macs are godsent.

[S/V Laura Ellen]

It is not, as the mac lovers often insist, that windows is inferior and macs are godsent.

Blasphemy!

Macs are superior in three areas:
1. hardware design (thinner, lighter, more stylish)
2. Operating system - Microsoft should abandon NT (the core OS for XP and Vista) and move to a Unix style OS, Apple saw the light but Microsoft is still in the dark on this issue.
3. User Interface - This is the area that Apple really shines. Vista was supposed to move Microsoft forward in this direction but failed to some extent.

So why is Microsoft so far behind?
I think the answer is a matter of what client base the companies are catering to. Apple focuses in on some very tight vertical market (publishing, education, ...) and Microsoft's focus is on Corporate markets. Corporations don't really care about style, visual appearance. Corporations care about cost control, software availability and standardization, they get that with Microsoft.
In the ideal word I would have one of each, but I only have what I can afford ( the dreaded PC with Vista).

[peb]

I only jumped into the conversation because I am one of those people for whom windows is a better product. It is not, as the mac lovers often insist, that windows is inferior and macs are godsent.

This is correct. Windows products are much better than the mac lovers will admit and Mac products are not as good as mac lovers claim. I say this while typing on my MacBook Pro.

Now I will give a brief rant against microsoft:

I will say that microsoft really screwed up with Office 2007. There was no reasone to totally rework the user interface on a product that everyone knew. Most people were quite efficient with the old office user interface (its been the same since 1997). I do not like the new on at all. And I have yet to see any significant new funcitonality in Office 2007. Of course, it may be there, but we are all too busy figuring out how to open and close files.