Windows is the best operating system?

[1badger11]

IMHO I think that if you are looking for more "mainstream" linux distros then you should probably look into Ubuntu (free) or Xandros (pay). I personally think (hope) that Ubuntu stands the best chance of becoming a more palatable mainstream distro to both newbs and hardcore users. Also IMHO I would say that this is the most "flame bait" thread I have seen on this forum. IMHO I categorize this with religion and politics, better not discussed at the dinner table. Like or Dislike Windows not withstanding, I personally really like the choices that are out there in the Linux community as each has a very nice niche. My personal feelings about FOSS can be determined by my previous postings, while I do use Windows and my occupation is in large part dependent on its flaws, I detest all corporate attempts to spread FUD about open source and or trample consumer rights with EULA crap. Competition after all is what keeps prices low for the consumer. Anyway just my .02 cents, end Rant.

Badger

[Aloone_Jonez]

IMHO I think that if you are looking for more "mainstream" linux distros then you should probably look into Ubuntu (free) or Xandros (pay). I personally think (hope) that Ubuntu stands the best chance of becoming a more palatable mainstream distro to both newbs and hardcore users.

I agree.

Also IMHO I would say that this is the most "flame bait" thread I have seen on this forum.

Flame bait?
I'm sorry I have to disagree with you on this, I think we've being having quite a cizil discussion (even though I've dissagreed with some people not one insult has been exchanged), go check out some of the threads over on [url=http://www.microsuck.com[/url] for some real hardcore flame bait.

But yes I do see your point, this discussion often does end in flames and I'll try to leave before it gets anywhere near this point.

IMHO I categorize this with religion and politics, better not discussed at the dinner table.

Well I wouldn't call Linux my religion but anyhow I agree, this debate is very political especially as a lot of it has to do with the US government allowing MS to get away with a so much crap.

Like or Dislike Windows not withstanding, I personally really like the choices that are out there in the Linux community as each has a very nice niche. My personal feelings about FOSS can be determined by my previous postings, while I do use Windows and my occupation is in large part dependent on its flaws, I detest all corporate attempts to spread FUD about open source and or trample consumer rights with EULA crap. Competition after all is what keeps prices low for the consumer. Anyway just my .02 cents, end Rant.

Yes, I remember you from the "How to run Windows without anti-virus" thread.

[1badger11]

What I meant was that this is a "flame bait" thread, not that anyone was actually flaming anyone else. It is for this reason that I like this forum, things don't usually degenerate (not that we don't have any degenerates hanging around here, myself included).

Badger

[FastGame]

IMHO I think that if you are looking for more "mainstream" linux distros then you should probably look into Ubuntu (free) or Xandros (pay). I personally think (hope) that Ubuntu stands the best chance of becoming a more palatable mainstream distro to both newbs and hardcore users.

I'm trying both at the moment, don't know yet which I like the best.

Also IMHO I would say that this is the most "flame bait" thread I have seen on this forum.

I hope not, except for the short stint in politics TZ is Flame free, I'm sure we'll keep it that way

Yes it is the best OS. But times change.

Somebody said you can tweak Linux to do anything - like detect all the latest hardware? Like play all the latest games? Some people like to tweak so for them there is Linux, some people would rather spend that tweaking time playing the game or using the latest gadget - they need Windows.

Like many things Curio says I have a hard time disagreeing with him, except when he said I was dyslexic

[Curio]

if, if only, given the source

What's wrong with Mac OS X?

It's a very user freindly OS with UNIX kernel, this means most Linux open source software can be compiled for it with little or no modification.

Youre still joking right?

- this is the real world.

If planes were submarines they could fly underwater.

[PIPER]

Enough is enough already......lmao.....AJ will carry this on till the cows come home.....jk......not....

[Aloone_Jonez]

if, if only, given the source

Although the open source development model hasn't traditionaly been suited to games many developers have got round this by releasing the source code but keeping the data (artwork and sound) under a more restricted licence. This is becomming more and more popular because it means people still have to pay them to play their games while aiming them at the largest number of people, especially Linux where there aren't yet many other games to compete with. Here's a list of free (as in open source) games, rememeber you still have to pay for some of these, open source doesn't mean free as in no $ but freedom of choice for example you can choose which platform to run it under.

Youre still joking right?

- this is the real world.

If planes were submarines they could fly underwater.

Alright strictly speaking Mac OS X isn't a true UNIX but it's fully POSIX compliant meaning you can run most BSD/Linux software on it providving it's open source as you'll have to compile it under Mac OS X.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mac_OS_X

Mac OS X can run many BSD or Linux software packages, as long as they have been compiled for the platform. Compiled binaries are normally distributed as Mac OS X packages, but some may require command-line configuration or compilation.

Enough is enough already......lmao.....AJ will carry this on till the cows come home.....jk......not....

I've made all the points I wish to make so I'll call it a day for now, (well unless someone else raises some new ones) - I don't want a flame war.

[FastGame]

I've made all the points I wish to make so I'll call it a day for now, (well unless someone else raises some new ones) - I don't want a flame war.

There's not going to be a Flame War @TZ, trust me

Anyone wishing to add points/comments to this thread may do so without the fear of flames

As long as the "points/comments" are of non-personal nature

[rik]

MS should do a better job in protecting us we shouldn't have to run anti-virus or compromise the functionality of Windows in order to configure a secure system.

Not their job. Produce a quality product, yes. Save us from Societies miscreants, no.

Come to think of it we should be able to choose which operating system we use without having to worry about software and hardware incompatibilities.

You can choose. Don't forget until recently if you wanted to run any Mac OS version you had to buy their hardware. Times are getting better for OS choices.

in order to keep backwards compatability with old programs

Give the people what they want.

[Kane]

compromises functionality - some programs require the registry and folder persmisions to be tweaked before they will run if at all.

You can run programs with admin privileges using a simple vbscript no need to tweak registry and folder persmisions.

[Big Booger]

You can run programs with admin privileges using a simple vbscript no need to tweak registry and folder persmisions.

The moment you mention "vbscript" to a grandmother using windows, you've lost her... that goes for about 85% of users of Windows, Mac, and so on...

Sure you can strip the balls off a bull, and call it a cow.. but the reality is, it's just stripped down bull with no balls.

[Aloone_Jonez]

Not their job. Produce a quality product, yes. Save us from Societies miscreants, no.

Alright then I'll put it another way, would you buy a house if the doors didn't lock properly and you could easilly open the Windows from the outside?

You can choose. Don't forget until recently if you wanted to run any Mac OS version you had to buy their hardware. Times are getting better for OS choices.

True, times are getting easier as far as choosing an operating system is concerned but (as far as I'm aware) you still need Apple hardware to run Mac OS X, their decision to change the architecture doesn't affect this.

Give the people what they want.

As far as computers are concerned most non techy people don't know what they want, I've heard about people being sold top-of the-range computers when all they want to do is send a few emails.

MS could easily solve their dilemma between keeping backwards compatibility and security if they wanted to, they could do what Apple have done, even if they break some old programs by adding modern security features in Vista they could provide an emulation mode to make old stuff compatible.

You can run programs with admin privileges using a simple vbscript no need to tweak registry and folder persmisions.

As Big Booger rightly said most people won't know how to do that, not to mention you're also compromising security by running things as admin, also being prompted for a password every time would be really annoying.

[FastGame]

Alright then I'll put it another way, would you buy a house if the doors didn't lock properly and you could easilly open the Windows from the outside?

The doors and windows work just fine on Windows XP. You can choose house that comes with wrought iron gates installed (Linux), or as you pointed out (root account vs restricted account) you can pull the gates from the closet and install them at will. Some might think the view is better from windows & doors lacking distraction such as wrought iron.

It really doesn't matter about the doors/windows and type of locks, burglars bring strong crow bar and big hammer for those. If you live in popular rich neighborhood expect more burglars.

Peer through house windows and it matters not, the view may be frolicking penguins or Luna Bliss, wrought iron or not, rocks break glass...........

MS not doing enough to protect us from ourselves ? HA!! How about the Auto Companies, the Court system ? Ever have a loved one killed by a 5 time DUI offender ? It's far more devastating than Blaster worm in Windows.

[Aloone_Jonez]

The doors and windows work just fine on Windows XP.

Not by default they're not, click on Internet Explorer under the non-restricted account which is set up for you by default and Active X controls can do what they like to your system.

You can choose house that comes with wrought iron gates installed (Linux), or as you pointed out (root account vs restricted account) you can pull the gates from the closet and install them at will. Some might think the view is better from windows & doors lacking distraction such as wrought iron.

Knowledge is the key to closing all those windows and doors, not once does it say in the Windows set up that you're more vunerable if you use an administrator account for everything, Linux and Mac OS both do pointing back to the link to the artical I posted earlier:http://www.itwriting.com/winvandals.php

It really doesn't matter about the doors/windows and type of locks, burglars bring strong crow bar and big hammer for those. If you live in popular rich neighborhood expect more burglars.

Don't posher neighbourhoods have less crime as people have better alarms and security devices?

True none the less you can never have a totally secure system and yes the virus writers would have to be more skilled if we all used UNIX but you can't despute the fact there'd be less viruses on the whole.

Peer through house windows and it matters not, the view may be frolicking penguins or Luna Bliss, wrought iron or not, rocks break glass...........

No but Linux would have wire mesh covering the Windows.

MS not doing enough to protect us from ourselves ?

Nope.

HA!! How about the Auto Companies,

They do a pretty good job - car crime has fallen in the last 10 years because cars now have immobilisers.

the Court system ?

Well they haven't done enough to protect us from MS, it's a shame about the anti-trust case.

Ever have a loved one killed by a 5 time DUI offender ? It's far more devastating than Blaster worm in Windows.

Yes murder is far worse than any worm but the insecurities in Windows are responsible for allowing real crimes to be commited. Rogue dialers can connect your modem to a premium-rate line or spyware can steal your credit card details or even identity.

[rik]

As far as computers are concerned most non techy people don't know what they want, I've heard about people being sold top-of the-range computers when all they want to do is send a few emails.

And I'm sorry but I have to put this responsibility back on the consumer. Know what you are doing before you buy.