OS WARS MEGA THREAD (Now debating proprietary vs. open-source!)

[Bj]

Imagine if Microsoft's next OS only allowed itself to run on say... IBM computers. What do you think would happen?

I would start using Linux more?

 

[Arrowstar]

This explains why they are able to do what they are doing. Imagine if Microsoft's next OS only allowed itself to run on say... IBM computers. What do you think would happen?

People would hack the OS and we'd get the PC version of the Hackintosh. :lol:

 

[ar81]

Can this be a Win7 annoyances too?

I have a good one. Win7 apparently has this new thing called homegroup.
More details

Which looking at all its features was looking pretty nice, like automatic P2P data encryption ext ext. Which I thought was pretty cool at first, buuuutt as it turns out (of course) it doesnot work with anything other than Win7. So the XP computer, the one which I was trying to transfer data over to the new 7 machine, would not connect to 7 initially. (oh and it was over a crossover cable)

I noticed 7 still falls back to work group when homegroup is disabled so I tried that, and still no luck. After about 30 mins I tried statically assigning an IP to both machines, and pinged back and forth. The ping from the XP to 7 worked, but 7 to XP did not. Then I noticed she had Norton installed...

Soon thereafter I got everything started transferring OK, then the person I was working for, asked if I could 'burn everything to a floppy' :beathead:

Ended up burning everything on 2 DVDs.

The biggest pain with 7/Vista is largely they are incompatible with XP.

Even my printer drivers do not work on Vista...
Application Compatibility Toolkit 5.5 does a poor job to make things compatible with XP.

 

[Hielor]

Even my printer drivers do not work on Vista...
Application Compatibility Toolkit 5.5 does a poor job to make things compatible with XP.

Printer manufacturers do this on purpose (not provide drivers for the newer OS), so you have to buy a new printer.

 

[ar81]

Look at this...

Windows 7 has severe compatibility issues, so now you must upgrade your Windows 7 if you want to run an emoulated WinXP virtual machine...

It means: Upgrade from XP to Windows7, then upgrade your Windows 7, so you can download the emulator to run XP...

It is weird to upgrade so you can run an emulated downgrade of your previous Windows.
And I thought Vista was stinky...

 

[Hielor]

Look at this...

Windows 7 has severe compatibility issues, so now you must upgrade your Windows 7 if you want to run an emoulated WinXP virtual machine...

It means: Upgrade from XP to Windows7, then upgrade your Windows 7, so you can download the emulator to run XP...

It is weird to upgrade so you can run an emulated downgrade of your previous Windows.
And I thought Vista was stinky...

Windows 7's compatibility story is no worse than Vista's. If something runs fine in Vista, odds are 95% or better that it will run in Win7.

XP Mode is an additional option for current users of XP who never upgraded to Vista due to compatibility issues.

 

[Urwumpe]

Does it have auto?

 

[Hielor]

Does it have auto?

Auto?

 

[ar81]

XP Mode is an additional option for current users of XP who never upgraded to Vista due to compatibility issues.

Upgrade to Windows 7 so you can downgrade back to XP?
What is the advantage of that?

I have an HP printer. HP support site says Windows 7 has the drivers for my printer, but it does not. Even the printer toolbox has limited functionality under Win7. To run XP mode to make it work, it needs Windows 7 Professional, for it does not run with Windows 7 Home edition that comes with my new computer. Does it mean I have to upgrade just to print?

So I can't even print with Windows 7 for it does not even have printer drivers. So Windows 7 Home edition is crap!! It does not even support printing. It means I need to upgrade to Win7 Professional, to downgrade back to XP to install my printer. Is printing a "professional feature"?

It looks I will have to keep my old XP machine just for the sake of printing. And I will have to tell all people I know about how crappy Win7 is: "With XP I can print, with Win7 you can't, for it does not include drivers for printing. printing is too professional for people at home. Make a PDF, do not print your school homework".

My first contact with Windows 7 is marked by FRUSTRATION!! Most of things do not work.
For some reasons I have the idea that some companies forget they have customers, and they forget capitalism is about customers voting for the best product. Windows 7 is not.

Today I recall the old gamer wisdom: "Never upgrade something that works".

 

[Hielor]

Upgrade to Windows 7 so you can downgrade back to XP?
What is the advantage of that?

I have an HP printer. HP support site says Windows 7 has the drivers for my printer, but it does not. Even the printer toolbox has limited functionality under Win7. To run XP mode to make it work, it needs Windows 7 Professional, for it does not run with Windows 7 Home edition that comes with my new computer. Does it mean I have to upgrade just to print?

So I can't even print with Windows 7 for it does not even have printer drivers. So Windows 7 Home edition is crap!! It does not even support printing. It means I need to upgrade to Win7 Professional, to downgrade back to XP to install my printer. Is printing a "professional feature"?

It looks I will have to keep my old XP machine just for the sake of printing. And I will have to tell all people I know about how crappy Win7 is: "With XP I can print, with Win7 you can't, for it does not include drivers for printing. printing is too professional for people at home. Make a PDF, do not print your school homework".

My first contact with Windows 7 is marked by FRUSTRATION!! Most of things do not work.
For some reasons I have the idea that some companies forget they have customers, and they forget capitalism is about customers voting for the best product. Windows 7 is not.

Today I recall the old gamer wisdom: "Never upgrade something that works".

If HP says they provide Win7 drivers for that printer, and they don't--that's HP's fault, not Win7's. I already told you, HP does this on purpose, to force people to buy new printers.

Out of curiousity, what kind of printer is it? I have a rather old HP printer that still works with my Win7 machine, but it's a USB plug & play and doesn't have any fancy features. Drivers are usually required only if you want to use fancier features of a printer, if you just plug it in it should work.

XP Mode also wouldn't help with drivers, since it's running in a VM. It's intended only for applications. It's primarily intended for businesses who may have productivity applications which were never updated for Vista (thus, it's in Professional). It's not intended for home users, and it wouldn't even help you if you had it, because it doesn't help with drivers.

 

[ar81]

HP Deskjet 3840

 

[Hielor]

HP Deskjet 3840

And when you plug in the USB cable to the computer from the printer while the printer is turned on, what happens?

 

[ar81]

And when you plug in the USB cable to the computer from the printer while the printer is turned on, what happens?

It finds the printer, and asks me in a window if I should go for the recommended solution, it runs a process, and finally this solution does not work.

 

[Hielor]

It finds the printer, and asks me in a window if I should go for the recommended solution, it runs a process, and finally this solution does not work.

What do you mean by "does not work?"

After this process, the printer doesn't show up in the devices list, correct? (start menu, devices and printers)

 

[ar81]

It shows up as the right printer model, but not enabled.

 

[Hielor]

It shows up as the right printer model, but not enabled.

What do you mean "not enabled?" Grayed out?

Do any of the options in the right-click menu on that printer do anything useful for you?

 

[Andy44]

Well, now, here's another reason to start hating on Microsoft:

http://www.techarp.com/showarticle.aspx?artno=670

http://www.techarp.com/showarticle.aspx?artno=670&pgno=1

Of course, my paranoid mind has always assumed that my computer was reporting everything I do to the NSA. The easiest way for the government to spy on people is to twist the arms of the OS providers. In return, they agree not to harass the OS provider, of course. A little extortion never hurt anyone (anyone rich, anyway).

Not that I'm singling out anyone; if MS is doing this to us, you can be certain that Apple is probably in the same business.

Got to keep us all safe from the bad guyz, ya know. You non-Americans out there who're using MS products, don't worry, if you're not doing anything wrong, you've got nothing to fear from the guys with the B-52s and the nuclear aircraft carriers.:thumbup: Honest...really...

 

[doggie015]

Well, now, here's another reason to start hating on Microsoft:

http://www.techarp.com/showarticle.aspx?artno=670

http://www.techarp.com/showarticle.aspx?artno=670&pgno=1

Of course, my paranoid mind has always assumed that my computer was reporting everything I do to the NSA. The easiest way for the government to spy on people is to twist the arms of the OS providers. In return, they agree not to harass the OS provider, of course. A little extortion never hurt anyone (anyone rich, anyway).

Not that I'm singling out anyone; if MS is doing this to us, you can be certain that Apple is probably in the same business.

Got to keep us all safe from the bad guyz, ya know. You non-Americans out there who're using MS products, don't worry, if you're not doing anything wrong, you've got nothing to fear from the guys with the B-52s and the nuclear aircraft carriers.:thumbup: Honest...really...

Just a quick note: that update is 100% optional, and therefore not selected by default, If you don't like MS spying on you then you can choose not to download the update, or just move to Linux/Ubuntu

EDIT: And don't worry, just grab a copy of WINE and Orbiter will still work, O-F will still work as well if you have trouble.

 

[Arrowstar]

Well, now, here's another reason to start hating on Microsoft:

http://www.techarp.com/showarticle.aspx?artno=670

http://www.techarp.com/showarticle.aspx?artno=670&pgno=1

Of course, my paranoid mind has always assumed that my computer was reporting everything I do to the NSA. The easiest way for the government to spy on people is to twist the arms of the OS providers. In return, they agree not to harass the OS provider, of course. A little extortion never hurt anyone (anyone rich, anyway).

Not that I'm singling out anyone; if MS is doing this to us, you can be certain that Apple is probably in the same business.

Got to keep us all safe from the bad guyz, ya know. You non-Americans out there who're using MS products, don't worry, if you're not doing anything wrong, you've got nothing to fear from the guys with the B-52s and the nuclear aircraft carriers.:thumbup: Honest...really...

Seems to me that my options are either to A) never download SP1, or B) cease using Windows. Neither of these are ultimately feasible for me... I don't suppose there's a way to turn it off?

 

[tl8]

Well, now, here's another reason to start hating on Microsoft:

http://www.techarp.com/showarticle.aspx?artno=670

http://www.techarp.com/showarticle.aspx?artno=670&pgno=1

Of course, my paranoid mind has always assumed that my computer was reporting everything I do to the NSA. The easiest way for the government to spy on people is to twist the arms of the OS providers. In return, they agree not to harass the OS provider, of course. A little extortion never hurt anyone (anyone rich, anyway).

Not that I'm singling out anyone; if MS is doing this to us, you can be certain that Apple is probably in the same business.

Got to keep us all safe from the bad guyz, ya know. You non-Americans out there who're using MS products, don't worry, if you're not doing anything wrong, you've got nothing to fear from the guys with the B-52s and the nuclear aircraft carriers.:thumbup: Honest...really...

That is quite a poorly written article for such an important topic. I wouldn't be trusting that article just yet....