Vista

Phaedrus · Post by **Phaedrus** » 26 Feb 2008 12:34

One would be more entertaining than the other. Ignoring speed limits, one could get you there faster, and time is rather valuable. Would you rather make that drive in a 20-year old PoS that can barely get up to 55 mph, has no air conditioning or radio, or a brand new car that works well in all manners? So, yes, there is a difference. There's also the time invested in the money for the cost of the car, and many other things to take into consideration, but you get my point.

(You could get there by walking, swimming the English Channel, and then walking again. It gets the job done, but not in a timely or comfortable fashion. On the other hand, I could get a flight from London to Paris, get there quickly and(to me) in a very entertaining way, so that would be a better tool than my feet or a car.)

inhuien · Post by **inhuien** » 26 Feb 2008 12:46

If you wish to apply real world conditions to a hypothetical example that's cool, you are after all a self-confessed contrarian.

Phaedrus · Post by **Phaedrus** » 26 Feb 2008 13:02

You say that like it's a bad thing.

But really, the analogy is apt. If you want to be bothered by constant checks and restraints to make sure you're not going to mess things up, Windows is great. If you want a system designed so that what you expect to happen will generally happen, but in a way limited to the engineering, Macs are great. If you want the freedom to do whatever you want with your computer, but the risk of screwing things up royally, Linux is the way to go. You can accomplish the same general things with all three.

Generally, if I want to play video games, I'll do it on a Windows PC. If I want to just browse the internet, write a paper, work on things for school, or other general tasks, I'll use my Mac, and when the day comes that I finally want to experiment with my computer and write programs, I'll install some flavor of Linux. Programming in Windows or on a Mac can be a bitch. You can't really game on a Linux machine or a Mac. While word processing and most general computing things can be done on Linux and Windows...Windows is too cumbersome and virus-prone, and Linux doesn't have any third party support. There's some nice OSS out there, but not enough. GIMP still doesn't beat photoshop. Mac is the balance for non-intense computing, because it has the corporate support and the ease of use.

It all depends on what you want to do, how fast you want it done, and how much BS you're willing to wade through to get there.

inhuien · Post by **inhuien** » 26 Feb 2008 13:29

Phaedrus wrote:You say that like it's a bad thing.

Not at all, Why do you think it's a bad thing?

Mandy · Post by **Mandy** » 26 Feb 2008 13:38

I don't have a lot of complaints as far as using Vista goes.. it's almost the same as XP, except it's prettier. I haven't had to solve any major crisis yet, so maybe I will hate it eventually. Right now I'm downloading ENDLESS updates, and that is a pain in the ass, especially on my dial up connection.

I can't sign in to MSN Messenger at the moment, says I have an invalid IP, grrr.. I'm hoping the updates I'm installing will fix that. I may just need to hang up and dial back in.. but I'm not stopping this download for anything

I'm at 91%!! Maybe the last 9% will download sometime this year.

Post by **Omphalos** » 26 Feb 2008 13:46

Mandy wrote:I don't have a lot of complaints as far as using Vista goes.. it's almost the same as XP, except it's prettier. I haven't had to solve any major crisis yet, so maybe I will hate it eventually. Right now I'm downloading ENDLESS updates, and that is a pain in the ass, especially on my dial up connection.

You must live in the absolute styx.

SandChigger · Post by **SandChigger** » 26 Feb 2008 13:53

A friend at uni, another Mac user, figured it'd be easier to work with students' files and all if he also had a Windows laptop, so he got one with his budget. He was always complaining about the "ENDLESS updates", too. He finally got fed up and gave it to another faculty member.

At least with a Mac you have the choice of NOT doing the upgrades right away. And getting on with your work or whatever you're doing.

(What was that proverb again...a workman is only as good as his tools?

)

Tleilax Master B · Post by **Tleilax Master B** » 26 Feb 2008 14:10

SandChigger wrote:(What was that proverb again...a workman is only as good as his tools? )

I don't know about all that, but I use the old proverb "any tool worth having is worth building a shed over" as an excuse for my fat beer gut

Mandy · Post by **Mandy** » 26 Feb 2008 15:07

Omphalos wrote:
Mandy wrote:I don't have a lot of complaints as far as using Vista goes.. it's almost the same as XP, except it's prettier. I haven't had to solve any major crisis yet, so maybe I will hate it eventually. Right now I'm downloading ENDLESS updates, and that is a pain in the ass, especially on my dial up connection.
You must live in the absolute styx.

It funny because there really aren't very many places left in Florida that can be considered the styx anymore. When I had an extra phone line installed last year, I chatted with the guy installing it and asked him about DSL.. he said DSL service ENDED about a mile from here, and that they skipped over this area until about a mile north from here, the assholes! One day the cow pastures will be gone and there'll be high speed internet everywhere.

Still haven't figured out what the hell is wrong with MSN messenger, but I did find out that I'm not the only one having problems.

inhuien · Post by **inhuien** » 26 Feb 2008 16:19

I’m sure the Mac vs PC debate will always be there, well until there’re no more Macs

but at least we have the choice at the mo.

Robspierre · Post by **Robspierre** » 26 Feb 2008 20:10

With the intel chips i nMacs you can partition the hard drive load a full version of windblows on it and game ot your hearts content. I'm going ot upgrade my laptop when I graduate and do just that just that so I can deal with whatever programs used by the school i will teach at.

Rob

Phaedrus · Post by **Phaedrus** » 27 Feb 2008 22:40

inhuien wrote:I’m sure the Mac vs PC debate will always be there, well until there’re no more Macs but at least we have the choice at the mo.

(The general belief is that the trend is going the other way, bud. You know, towards a Linux/Mac dominated world?)

With the intel chips i nMacs you can partition the hard drive load a full version of windblows on it and game ot your hearts content. I'm going ot upgrade my laptop when I graduate and do just that just that so I can deal with whatever programs used by the school i will teach at.

Yeah, but you still have to install and deal with the operating system from hell.

I think Apple computers will soon have more games on them. The full effect of Vista hasn't really been seen yet, but there are plenty of people "upgrading" to XP or switching over to Mac, or Linux, or anything they can so as not to have to use Vista. Game companies may not be switching over yet, but when they realize that there's a market for Mac gaming? It'll probably happen.

Robspierre · Post by **Robspierre** » 27 Feb 2008 23:22

Phaedrus wrote:
inhuien wrote:I’m sure the Mac vs PC debate will always be there, well until there’re no more Macs but at least we have the choice at the mo.
(The general belief is that the trend is going the other way, bud. You know, towards a Linux/Mac dominated world?)

With the intel chips i nMacs you can partition the hard drive load a full version of windblows on it and game ot your hearts content. I'm going ot upgrade my laptop when I graduate and do just that just that so I can deal with whatever programs used by the school i will teach at.
Yeah, but you still have to install and deal with the operating system from hell.

I think Apple computers will soon have more games on them. The full effect of Vista hasn't really been seen yet, but there are plenty of people "upgrading" to XP or switching over to Mac, or Linux, or anything they can so as not to have to use Vista. Game companies may not be switching over yet, but when they realize that there's a market for Mac gaming? It'll probably happen.

The gaming companies have started to take notice and the slate of games for Mac's has increased. Yes you will still have to deal with winblows but only because there are a small handful of applications that do not have a cross platform equivalent, a 10 gb partition isn't a bad trade off and as long as you do not have to get online for the winblows stuff you will be fine.

Rob

SandChigger · Post by **SandChigger** » 28 Feb 2008 02:33

The Japanese guy I'm sharing the office with now installed some new software on his laptop week before last (can't remember exactly, I think it was the full version of Acrobat or something) and took it home to do some work over the weekend on some conference proceedings he's editing.

Only problem is, he doesn't have access at home and ended up not being able to do anything because the app wanted to go online and verify his registration and all.

Fooking ridiculous.

inhuien · Post by **inhuien** » 28 Feb 2008 08:29

Phaedrus wrote:(The general belief is that the trend is going the other way, bud. You know, towards a Linux/Mac dominated world?)

Last time I paid any interest Linux ran on a PC.

Robspierre · Post by **Robspierre** » 28 Feb 2008 11:07

SandChigger wrote:The Japanese guy I'm sharing the office with now installed some new software on his laptop week before last (can't remember exactly, I think it was the full version of Acrobat or something) and took it home to do some work over the weekend on some conference proceedings he's editing.

Only problem is, he doesn't have access at home and ended up not being able to do anything because the app wanted to go online and verify his registration and all.

Fooking ridiculous.

Random House did a study with their audiobooks. They released some without drm with a watermark so the files could be tracked. They found out that the only versions of their material that wound up online at download sites were versions that had drm and had been cracked. Funny, stop treating your customers like criminals and they will pay for your products, what a concept!!!!!!!

Rob

Phaedrus · Post by **Phaedrus** » 28 Feb 2008 11:39

inhuien wrote:
Phaedrus wrote:(The general belief is that the trend is going the other way, bud. You know, towards a Linux/Mac dominated world?)
Last time I paid any interest Linux ran on a PC.

But it bears more similarities to Macs than it does to Windows, as both OS X and Linux are Unix-based. There was never a "Mac vs. PC" debate so much as a "Windows vs. everything-not-Windows-which-in-the-mainstream-is-basically-just-Mac" debate. There's some kind of sub "Linux vs. OS X" debate, but it won't come to surface until Windows is dead, because everyone unites in the name of Unix against Microsoft.

Because Windows sucks a lot. A lot.

Mandy · Post by **Mandy** » 28 Feb 2008 14:30

Windows will never die!!!

No seriously.. I doubt it will die, there is always going to be a market for Windows because there are always going to be people like me who need something easy to use. I'm not interested in writing programs, I just want to turn on my computer and get online.

Tyrant · Post by **Tyrant** » 28 Feb 2008 15:49

Mandy wrote:Windows will never die!!! No seriously.. I doubt it will die, there is always going to be a market for Windows because there are always going to be people like me who need something easy to use. I'm not interested in writing programs, I just want to turn on my computer and get online.

i enjoy windows...i am bill gates slave

Phaedrus · Post by **Phaedrus** » 28 Feb 2008 18:19

Mandy wrote:Windows will never die!!! No seriously.. I doubt it will die, there is always going to be a market for Windows because there are always going to be people like me who need something easy to use. I'm not interested in writing programs, I just want to turn on my computer and get online.

The entire joke of this post is contained within the bolded portion of your post, and this text is merely an explanation.

Mandy · Post by **Mandy** » 28 Feb 2008 19:17

I find it extremely easy to use, don't know what you're having problems with though. You sound like one of the many typical Microsoft bashers.

SimonH · Post by **SimonH** » 28 Feb 2008 21:18

Vista seems to me to be fine if you are only running software that works well with it - i,e, Word, IE etc.

If you are trying to code - even simple stuff for websites then it is a real pain. IIS runs web content on your computer - and Vista's IIS conflicts with all of it's own "safety" stuff. Everything I did gave me those annoying "do you really want to ..." popups or file access errors. I gave up!

The size of it is ridiculous. But hard drives are so big so maybe that doesn't matter any more.

And I had such difficulty getting Microsoft Messenger to work! come to think of it, I'm not sure if I have yet...

I have XP at work and Vista at home. I see no benefit when I get home. It is just like having a relatively computer illiterate nanny controlling everything you do

Rakis · Post by **Rakis** » 28 Feb 2008 21:20

Mandy wrote:I find it extremely easy to use, don't know what you're having problems with though. You sound like one of the many typical Microsoft bashers.

Bashing is a natural reflex after the HLP saga...

Oh...did i just wrote that?

Where's that erase button...anyway...

I like Macro-soft product to a point, but i am not willing to pay zillions for upgrades. I think there are freeware on the internet that are better products. Firefox is a perfect exemple...

SandChigger · Post by **SandChigger** » 28 Feb 2008 21:41

Mandy wrote:I'm not interested in writing programs, I just want to turn on my computer and get online.

Well, I sometimes write programs and code webpages, but a lot of the time I just want to turn my computer on and come to sites like this; get online, in other words.

If the Mac is sleeping, it takes all of about five seconds for it to wake up, yell at the Airport base station (Are you there? Are you connected?), shake hands and I'm online.

If it's off, then start-up takes about two or three minutes. I have it set to check for updates once a week and it doesn't install ANYTHING unless I tell it to.

I switched to Macs just before Windows took off over here. Before that I used MS DOS on an NEC machine, so all my experience with Windows has been at the workplace or trying to do something on friends' machines. And that has been MORE than enough.

SimonH hit the button at the end of his post: it's all about control. I bash Microsoft and Bill Gates because I believe they/he literally want/s to control EVERYTHING computer-related. If they were putting out a superior product, I wouldn't care. But they're putting out crap. (Sounds like someone else we all know, no?

)

Just hazzarding a guess here, Mandy, but have you ever used a Mac?

Phaedrus · Post by **Phaedrus** » 28 Feb 2008 22:10

Mandy wrote:I find it extremely easy to use, don't know what you're having problems with though. You sound like one of the many typical Microsoft bashers.

Nope. Most of the "typical" Microsoft bashers are also Microsoft customers. I'm not. I'm working on XP right now while my Mac's out of commission, but it's a computer that I bought from a friend with XP Media Center already installed, and I haven't taken the time to partition and install Ubuntu(although that sounds like an excellent project for tonight, as I've got a few hours to kill...).