However, don’t you find that all those blogs, all those articles on Vista’s shortcomings, on TV, newspapers, blogs….
…or GregA bricking his computer with a Vista Upgrade. (sad)

XP was such a smoother upgrade / install than Vista is shaping up to be. There will definitely be people that will “go over to the other side” even if it’s much more expensive.

People did something with Intel and it worked. But not only people are not saying anything (or loud enough) against vista and MS (which should have started with XP, but that’s another story), but they are actually saying “Kwel. I don’t mind, bring it on!” Most of the times even without the I don’t mind part, which is sadder still.

Well, they are often short anyway…

I never said or hinted I was happy about it, just talking up another angle. As being normal MS has to find new revenue streams after years of allowing easy copying and distribution of it’s software products.

You don’t need Bill’s permission? Well, actually you do. There is no oversight. Intel caved in – they didn’t have to. Not because of people’s pressure, because of market pressure.

The ID thing was just one more reason to switch to AMD. That’s the key, Intel isn’t a monopoly, though it tried hard to be.

Microsoft, OTOH, is a monopoly. They even control the IT/IS of an entire country, S Korea. The oversight controlling Microsoft doesn’t exist in the US, but the European Union sure doesn’t monopolies and attacks MS and Apple.

Predo said: Smallest grief…out goes xp and w2k it is.

I like that reasoning.

To remain on W2K, rather than, say, Linux. Games will work, drivers will work, and for quite a few years to come.
Malware should ignore patched W2K’s, being written specifically for XP and then Vista.

Also reminds me of how long NT4 lasted. Many not-for-profit orgs still run under NT4. It does the job – why change it?

Sorry, but again, I don’t need Bill’s permission’s to have my OS in whatever computer I wanted installed in and if I buy a new one and want to install the OS I had in the old one, don’t wanna go looking for Bill’s blessing. If you feell ok with that, be my guest, but don’t come complaining that it’s a pain to live with MS’ licensing.

You don’t seem to have that big of a memory, do you. People started moaning at intel when they wanted to implement cpu id’s with pIII and were forced to allow bios options to disable this id. Thanks to what? people’s pressure.

Compared to MS activation/wga/licensing/drm crap, cpuid is just a nuisance, but people fought against it and intel had to cave in. Where’s the pressure on MS? the only thing I hear is people like you happy with all this crap MS is throwing at their customers and shutting anyone with concern over it with argumjents like “hey, it’s pretty and has dx10″

Oh, I forgot. Hollywood and big corps are the real MS clients, screw the regular guys who made MS what it is today when they bought into windows 1.1, 2.0 & 3.1. Those are the ones we need to protect ourselves against, they are all pirates and should be treated accordingly.

Yeah, that’s got to be it. Gates is being altruistic, he just doesn’t want to piss off his stockholders until he’s had a chance to dump a LOT more Microsoft stock.

You won’t touch Vista? You won’t be able to buy a new laptop w/o Vista, what will you do?

Geez, where do you get all those great technology insights you shove against me and others?

Or are you just having fun bashing older men who remember John Dvorak before he had gray hair and more of it? Must be this answer, because your non-tech related posts are intelligent, short, and to the point.

As for the ID in the Intel CPU’s, why, it’s so very simple. Use AMD + Microsoft, a Mac, Ubunto + Intel, or VM Ware.

I see Linux coming to a computer near me.

I didn’t touch xp (until I bought a latop with it. No wga though). I won’t be touching vista

2. Functionality that the Business Admins want to take out, control, padlock.

For the Business Admins, because of capitalism – the stock shares MUST double up in the next 2 years – revenue has to increase BIG TIME. So no more easy pirating of Microsoft or their affiliates. Rake in cash.

It was easy before to allow easy pirating – that’s what got rid of Wordperfect and Lotus 1-2-3. I’ve seen hundreds of companies, large and small, install illegally Microsoft Office 95 and/or 97.

Now that Microsoft has the monopoly, and stocks have faltered, they are putting the squeeze, excersing their legal rights, and using the programmers to enforce it through the OS.

Makes perfect business sense – they don’t care about lost MIPS.
And the programmers follow orders from….the business admins.

@5 : For now Apple have taken at least one good step regarding HD content DRM. They have left it out of the OS and in the device . If the Windows have done the same we’d be on much better path…

UP THE REVOLUTION !!!

I bought two TiVo systems. I’m quite happy with them, even though TiVo can watch every click I make (or I can opt out of that), and even though they change the software and in some cases limit functionality when they do. They have yet to impinge on my purposes.

I’m not arguing for Microsoft or against opposing restrictive software – just putting some perspective on the state of the marketplace.