Al Smith <invalid@address.com> wrote in
news:c_hen.65923$Db2.26048@edtnps83:
> Zootal wrote:
>> Al Smith<invalid@address.com> wrote in
>> news:XFfen.66067$PH1.32766@edtnps82:
>>
>>> Zootal wrote:
>>>> Al Smith<invalid@address.com> wrote in news:%37en.65933$PH1.38435
>>>> @edtnps82:
>>>>
>>>>> Dave wrote:
>>>>>>
>>>>>>
>>>>>> "Al Smith"<invalid@address.com> wrote in message
>>>>>> news:FGDdn.63758$Db2.27508@edtnps83...
>>>>>> snip
>>>>>>> *Your PC must run genuine Windows to install Microsoft Security
>>>>>>> Essentials.
>>>>>>>
>>>>>>> [end quote]
>>>>>>>
>>>>>>> How does Microsoft determine whether or not you are running
>>>>>>> "genuine Windows?" Why, it checks your computer, of course, by
>>>>>>> scanning it.
>>>> And
>>>>>>> if it happens to find something it doesn't like ... which may
>>>>>>> well be completely legitimate ... it deactivates it or cripples
>>>>>>> it.
>>>>>>>
>>>>>>> I won't have Microsoft scanning my computer. It's that simple.
>>>>>>> For that reason, I can't run Security Essentials. Not that I
>>>>>>> mind very much -- lots of free alternatives available.
>>>>>>>
>>>>>>> And yes, my install of Windows 7 is completely legitimate. It
>>>>>>> was installed on my new Dell computer when I bought it, and I
>>>>>>> have the
>>>> OEM
>>>>>>> Windows 7 DVD.
>>>>>>>
>>>>>>> -Al-
>>>>>>
>>>>>> That's your right to feel that way. MS does tend to get a bit
>>>> intrusive
>>>>>> as almost any MS software you install is going to check if your
>>>>>> OS is legit.
>>>>>> OTOH, almost any retail software is going to ensure your
>>>>>> installation
>>>> is
>>>>>> legit somehow or other so MS is not alone on that.
>>>>>> Dave
>>>>>
>>>>>
>>>>> I generally avoid software that checks back with home base, or
>>>>> gives me a hard time about registration. I just can't be bothered
>>>>> with it. I uninstall it unless for some reason I absolutely have
>>>>> to have it. It's one of the litmus tests I apply to new software
>>>>> after I install it ... Is it going to try to call home? Does it
>>>>> call home even after I tell it not to do so? That was true of
>>>>> Ad-Aware, which is why I uninstalled it. I installed it recently,
>>>>> and set it not to check for updates, yet it was still trying to
>>>>> make contact with home base, so I dumped it.
>>>>>
>>>>> -Al-
>>>>>
>>>>
>>>> I used to use WordPerfect X3. I also used a VPN connection to a
>>>> university from time to time. Everytime I would activate or
>>>> deactivate the VPN connection, WP would think something had changed
>>>> and require reactivation. After a very short while it used up all
>>>> of my reactivations, and it locked me out. I was locked out of
>>>> software that was legal and legit, that I had payed for. I quickly
>>>> dumped it.
>>>>
>>>> My solution was to purchase an OEM version off of eBay. While this
>>>> OEM version was of questionable legality, it was dirt cheap, I had
>>>> already payed for the full version, and *it worked*.
>>>>
>>>> Software makers seem to forget who is paying whom these days. Too
>>>> bad there are so many sheep that willingly go along with their
>>>> heavy handed anti-piracy schemes.
>>>>
>>>
>>>
>>> The anti-piracy stuff just seems to inconvenience the legitimate
>>> users, without stopping the so-called pirates. It is driving more
>>> people to downloading cracked programs from the torrents, which
>>> are sometimes infected with malware, and this serves to spread
>>> malware. I've read posts by a lot of people who say they've
>>> downloaded and installed pirate Microsoft software, only because
>>> they couldn't be bothered trying to sort out the "security
>>> protection" in their legitimate copies. Seems almost as if
>>> Microsoft is trying to make itself secure from its own customers.
>>>
>>> -Al-
>>>
>>
>> Back in the late '80s and early '90s, Microsoft was a pretty good
>> company. They didn't have odious copy protection and anti-piracy
>> policies, their tech support was top notch, accessible, and spoke
>> English, and the people that worked for them liked working for them.
>> (well, I guess some still do today, but Microsoft isn't the great
>> employer that they used to be). Unfortunately, Microsoft, like many
>> companies who experience some success, took their focus off of the
>> people that made them successful (ie their customers) and started to
>> focus on their shareholders wealth and market control. I use a lot of
>> competing products today because of that. WordPerfect, QuattroPro,
>> MySQL, Linux - all products where Microsoft doesn't get my money
>> anymore. QuattroPro narrowly escaped a trip to the trash can because
>> unfortunately, WordPerfect Office isn't much better anymore than
>> Microsoft products anymore - oh how the mighty have fallen
>
>
> I've been very tempted to move to Linux, but the distros I've
> tried just don't recognize all my hardware, and they don't run my
> games, so for that reason I've stuck with Windows. But I took a
> pass on Vista completely. Right now, most new computer buyers are
> moving to Windows 7 64-bit, and 64-bit free programs aren't quite
> commonly available yet, but in a year or so this problem should
> solve itself.
>
> -Al-
>
I hear you on Vista. I got burned with WindowsME, didn't feel like doing
it again with Vista. The only reason I'm using Windows 7 right now is
because ATI fixed the opengl support in the drivers, whereas it's still
broken in XP64.
Try Slackware (
www.slackware.com). Their default distro has a huge
kernel with just about every driver under the sun. If not, then you have
run into one of the main differences between Winbloze and Linux - if the
driver isn't there, Linux requires some Linux know-how to find it and
make it work. There is an excellent help forum,
http://www.linuxquestions.org/, with enough traffic that you often get
answers within hours. When I decided to move to linux, I spent many
hours there. I was using a toshiba laptop, and at the time drivers for
toshibas. With perserverance, I was able to get it working.
But games? Ain't gonna happen. Linux just isn't a gamers platform, and
game makers aren't going to waste their time making games run on Linux.
Excellent for servers, but not for clients. It's about the only thing
that keeps me from dumping windows for good.