Mike Hall - MVP said:
Real Windows? hahahaha. I am amazed that you need any kind of Windows
being as you are into real computing.
Yep, seasoned and reliable. Also works between vendors and is efficient
over the network. You should try it.
None of my servers however do I run graphics, I leave it off so the CPU and
memory can go towards the application at hand.
Tell me something. Does a document typed out in OO Writer carry more
weight than the same typed out in Word 2007? Do you need more technical
prowess to be able to do it?
I do like the idea of ODF, for if it wasn't open I wouldn't have switched.
But using one, or the other it isn't hard to switch. In fact, I do daily.
Some of my clients like ODF, some like it DOC. OpenOffice saves both. In
fact saves in older DOC formats as not all clients are that new, a feature I
like. But if on a clients PC, I use MS-Office if that is what they use.
You anti-MS (or, I suspect anti any large corporation) Linux zealots talk
the same type of crap as did supporters of DOS when Windows first
appeared. Apparently, these people were into real computing, meaning that
one had to be able to remember at least five command line statements to
get through a day.
I am not a myopic chair mushroom worshiping a false god and know technolgoy
comes, and it goes. I have used quite a few OSes behind me in the last
20-30 years. VAX, MVS, Windows 1.0 to Vista, including ever DOS since 2.10,
at least the top 10 UNIXes of the last 20 years, 3 BSDs and was into Linux
with Slackware .91 or something like that. Even did OS/2, Novell and pSOS,
vxWorks and others like MPE, CPM, TRS-DOS.
I specialize in C/C++ and Java, but can do almost any UNIX shell. Rusty,
but have done Visual Basic, Fortran, MFC, Motif, and lots I forget.
If MS can't take some critizism, too freaking bad.
Have you amazed your family by opening up a command window and typing in
'ipconfig /all'. Weren't they just so impressed with your skill as all of
the text flashed up onto the screen!!
Actually, you would be surprised at home many MSCE I have taught that too.
Netstat is another.
Had more than one case of a VB app, opening resources on the network with
the MS API flavor of the day and they couldn't find it.
Took me less that 5 minutes...
With your ability, you shouldn't have to ever buy a Windows computer. Just
throw a few parts together on the kitchen table, load up Fedora and hey
presto, a real computer for a real computer user. I'm impressed, can't you
tell?
Done that too. Most of mine in the past are home built. Even ran W2000 on
a dual celeraon mobo once. But for the price of parts, it is cheaper to buy
and add a decent video, add to the MS coaster collection and do it that way.
Microsoft will never admit how many copies of their OS they ship that never
boot up once.
The trouble is that 99% of the world aren't computer geeks. They have
never and will never have to take the side off of an IBM Chess Champion
and fix it. They will never have to look through the 12 volumes of AIX
commands and, with all respect, would not own a computer if they were the
criteria for owning one.
Yep, lets hope one laptop per child, running Linux will change Microsoft.
And most in China or India are not going to buy the hrse power to run Vista.
They can't afford it.
And when the next Chinese or Indian appliance comes in, don't be surprised
if the Windows server counts take a hit.
Whether you are the guy working on the 3D 'see it from all angles on the
screen' 747 wiring loom, administrator for a few Storage Managers, home
geek running two Linux variants just to type out something in OO Writer,
or Grandma downloading pictures of her grandchildren via Yahoo Messenger,
the common factor is computer user. One computer type doesn't do all. One
OS doesn't do all.
I can write a document in OO Writer, and can view edit on almost any GUI
type platform, including Macs, Solaris, HP-UX, AIX, any BSD, any Linux with
a GUI. Your point? Why should I limit myself to Microsoft?
Re Vista, it works surprisingly well for many people. Like all other
OS'es, it has had its issues but they are fast disappearing, just as they
did for XP. Many users of Vista would never even come across Vista issues
because they are not the type to delve into Windows Explorer or try to
copy 5gb zipped files across a network. For those who do, some of the
issues have already been addressed.
If you are limiting yourself to email, surfing and light document
processing, you are correct. Vista is "good enough". But I don't see end
users writing code and systems. Maybe that is why after billions spent in
FUD, Apache still outranks IIS.
The SP1 update was mistakenly made available for all instead of just for
the TechNet/MSDN crowd, which is why it was pulled. The stuff that SP1
broke had all received fixes fairly quickly, so it doesn't break them
anymore.
That was a jab. I understand all fixes are not perfect - in any OS.
Is Vista right for everybody? If you know anything about computers, you
will recognize that there is not an OS on the planet that is right for
everybody, so knocking Vista, XP, Ubuntu, Suse, Fedora, Mac OS, AIX, is a
dumb thing to do.
That is why I actually try them ALL, and get at least fairly good at it. It
was time for me to try Vista.
They all do what they do. You are happy with what you have now, so leave
it at that. If Vista or any MS product doesn't work for you, use something
else.
Happy now. Still have to decide if I like SUSE or Fedora better.
BTW - Would do your career good to diversify. Being a Microsoft Borg, you
must understand resistance in NOT futile, I/T organizations like
diversification.... sadly lacking in most MSCEs.
Try again.