The depths some people sink to...

[steph]

This is sabotage...

 

[Moonwalker]

People bash windows because it's the "cool" thing to do, and because they don't understand it.

And instead to use Linux or change to Apple, people stick with Windows, because it is the comfortable one they are used to, but continue to flame senselessly. I used almost every Windows distribution since 3.11 back in 1993. And I never had serious problems, at least not worse problems I had with any Linux I used too (Linux community forums contain the same amount and style of flaming than windows forums btw). The only real issue I had with Windows was the famous Win98 blue screen trouble, which caused flaming back in 1998 that continues still today uselessly (while on Linux you get a black screen if something happens to your drivers, and you can not boot anymore). The only real issue I had with Linux was driver problems for my Nvidia video card. These days I use XP, Vista and Linux Ubuntu and every one of those 3 systems works just beautifully (while configuring Linux until it looks and works the way you want, by far is not that comfortable than in Windows). I also use both, IE and FF without any issues. I also use both, OpenOffice and Microsoft Office 2007.

People can bash Microsoft or even Linux or whatsoever, but they also could talk about their sisters favourite colours. It does not make any difference. And honestly, those Microsoft and Windows jokes are boring meanwhile. It is not funny anymore, but it's just plain stupid.

 

[Omhra]

tee hee...
so,
I was looking out my windows...
and I saw a penguin dressed in black...
In the distance up ahead in a red ten gallon hat
just appeared as if magic in the middle of the willows.
I tried it, loved it, and he took me by the hand.

Not the cry of the system not the roar of the machine
it isn't the luster of sparkle that threads on bad sin...
Its the scale of these deployments and the risk we're all in
When all hangs on the balance and your puter' crash's deep...

MIcrosoft is not evil and linux is not a saint...
but he errors we keep facing are quite quaint.
If the drivers are in error and you want to take control...
Then simplify your threading and have vista run the show...
But to smash the penguin's hat's quite clever
just releasing windows seven....

 

[movieman]

I think, Linux still uses a cuter Swapfile strategy... my personal feeling.

Swapping behaviour is the absolute worst idea that Microsoft implemented into XP. What kind of idiot decided that it would be a good idea to swap out my web browser when I copy a 2GB file from one drive to another?

It wouldn't be so bad if you could actually limit the disk cache to a specific size as you could in Win 95, but XP will happily swap out all the applications you're using in order to cache disk files that you'll never use again. The absolute worst example is when it starts swapping out applications to cache files when the virus scanner runs; the scanner is never going to touch those files again until the next time it runs, and by then they'll have been overwritten in the cache by other files anyway.

At one point I simply disabled the swap file and XP became markedly more responsive; unfortunately some programs won't run without one. I'm so glad I can use Linux for most things these days.

 

[Usquanigo]

It wouldn't be so bad if you could actually limit the disk cache to a specific size as you could in Win 95

You mean like this?

 

[movieman]

You mean like this?

Uh, no. That's the swap file, not the disk cache.

There is a registry variable that's supposed to switch memory usage between 'server' (prefer disk cache) and 'workstation' (prefer programs) algorithms, but it does nothing useful that I can determine.

 

[TMac3000]

DOS 6.2, baby! With the Shell program! Never crashed, ran tons of neat shareware games, WordPerfect, Money, and lots of other useful stuff. And, get this: it never crashed.

 

[EliNaut]

I had Vistas on my old comp - until two of the chips burnt out and I never found out until the computer went dead on me and I had it cracked open by a IT guy. Wasn't Vistas fault though - least I don't think it was. Honestly enough, I didn't see anything wrong with it. I couldn't see what people were complaining about. Basically, it seems like XP to me except with different color and menu bar schemes.

@ Bloodspray:
Gotta love DOS! I was dissapointed - I was born in 93, so I never experinced just the standard DOS interface. After reading a few books I wish I did! I even asked my parents to see if they could scout out an old computer for me for my birthday once baha

 

[Orbinaut Pete]

My friend gave me a DVD of the BETA version of Windows 7. I'm currently debating with myself whether I should install it (to dual boot, I would still keep my current Vista). Windows 7 is supposed to be a lot better than Vista - has anyone had or heard of any bad experiences with it?

P.S I'm typing this on my new iPod Touch - Safari performs just like a PC based browser, and the touch screen keyboard is surprisingly easy to use

 

[Andy44]

I had Vistas on my old comp - until two of the chips burnt out and I never found out until the computer went dead on me and I had it cracked open by a IT guy. Wasn't Vistas fault though - least I don't think it was. Honestly enough, I didn't see anything wrong with it. I couldn't see what people were complaining about. Basically, it seems like XP to me except with different color and menu bar schemes.

@ Bloodspray:
Gotta love DOS! I was dissapointed - I was born in 93, so I never experinced just the standard DOS interface. After reading a few books I wish I did! I even asked my parents to see if they could scout out an old computer for me for my birthday once baha

My god I feel old...

 

[Hielor]

My friend gave me a DVD of the BETA version of Windows 7. I'm currently debating with myself whether I should install it (to dual boot, I would still keep my current Vista). Windows 7 is supposed to be a lot better than Vista - has anyone had or heard of any bad experiences with it?

P.S I'm typing this on my new iPod Touch - Safari performs just like a PC based browser, and the touch screen keyboard is surprisingly easy to use

Try out Win7, but do it as a dual-boot (don't replace your current install).

I can pretty much guarantee that you'll like what you see and it may even become your new primary OS even while still in beta. I'm not sure what build made it into the beta DVDs, but it probably wasn't any less than what I used over the summer.

Totally worth it, at least to try it.

 

[Danny Ramone]

Kinda back on the original topic, this kind of thinking isn't new.

the New Zealand Military discovered a long time ago that off-the-shelf windows based components are a lot more versatile and cost effective solution than dedicated military hardware. The fact that windows is everywhere means developers can make some really good software to run on the windows platform. Training for techs/sigs is easier as you can chuck them on civilian microsoft courses, and the microsoft software is usually more bug free due to the (extensive ) BETA testing.

This is nothing new to whats happening on surface vessels and surveilance aircraft.

 

[Urwumpe]

My god I feel old...

What am I supposed to say? I switched from TOS to Win 95. Together with a standard MSDOS 6.22 installation as backup at that time.

 

[Notebook]

How about the SYM-1, now thats old. Hex codes, and a 7-segment display, sheer luxury.

N.

 

[Andy44]

I got my first PC in 1992, with DOS 5.0 on it. I got my first home computer in 1982, a Timex-Sinclair 1000, which I still have! And along comes somebody who says they were born in 1993! And they are talking techy computer stuff. I don't think I'm this old...

 

[jedidia]

Gotta love DOS! I was dissapointed - I was born in 93, so I never experinced just the standard DOS interface. After reading a few books I wish I did! I even asked my parents to see if they could scout out an old computer for me for my birthday once baha

Believe me, you do NOT miss tinkering your Autoexec.bat and Config.sys for the hundreth time to see if you manage to get another two kb of conventional memory to get that new game to run. The memory management of DOS was a pain in the ass, and I'm glad they got rid of it. Really glad!

My Win2000 with DosBox runs my old DOS-Games 10 times more reliable than the actual DOS did...

I got my first home computer in 1982, a Timex-Sinclair 1000, which I still have!

Oh man... I remember our first Home-computer, an original IBM 086 with extended RAM (640 freaking KBs) to run DOS 3.6, two 5 1/2" floppies, and no hard drive. I actually had the first MS Flight Simulator running on it, but only in Monochrome :rofl:

 

[RisingFury]

:rofl::lol::speakcool:

 

[Usquanigo]

Believe me, you do NOT miss tinkering your Autoexec.bat and Config.sys for the hundreth time to see if you manage to get another two kb of conventional memory to get that new game to run. The memory management of DOS was a pain in the ass, and I'm glad they got rid of it. Really glad!

It really wasn't that bad, frequent, or difficult. And I have always been a hard-core gamer, getting into computers specifically for the games, and often upgrading my system just for games. Odd that you would have such a rough time with it.

 

[jedidia]

majorly because I was 10 years old, didn't know that much about computers and my dad was after me every time something didn't run anymore... And getting a game to run that needs a full 600 kb of conventional memory really wasn't that easy, kicking drivers around and about, switching between EMS and XMS... it was fun somehow, but as I said, I don't miss it.

And hardware updates didn't help the conventional memory issue either.

 

[Andy44]

My Sinclair 1000 has no disk drives. You use a mono cassette player to load and save code and data via an 1/8" jack. It has 2k internal memory, but I got the 16k expansion module. Now I'm cooking with gas! It uses an old-style RF connection to hook up to a TV through a game switch like the Atari 2600 used to. I have a flight sim program for it, but I haven't tried to load any of the program cassettes for years, and I fear the cassettes may have all deteriorated. It has built in BASIC and an OS so you can always wrote and save your own programs. I plugged it in about 2 years ago to make sure it works. The video RF generator puts out a lot of static, but I have a plan to tap the video signal directly and send it to the TV via RCA plug. I just haven't the heart or the urgency to crack open the case and put a soldering iron to the irreplaceable mother board yet.