I believe the reason is in hopes to simplify everything for the 'average' user and to save space. Not everyone wants to have 6 different devices when you can reduce it to 2 or 3 powerful ones that can do everything.

The danger here though is that like the music cassette & video cassettes dying out, if DRM continues as it does, those with large CD collections will find that future systems will not play them because they cannot detect DRM licensing on the disks.

As I see it, the future is bleak for personal choice & freedom.

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I believe the reason is in hopes to simplify everything for the 'average' user and to save space. Not everyone wants to have 6 different devices when you can reduce it to 2 or 3 powerful ones that can do everything.

The danger here though is that like the music cassette & video cassettes dying out, if DRM continues as it does, those with large CD collections will find that future systems will not play them because they cannot detect DRM licensing on the disks.

As I see it, the future is bleak for personal choice & freedom.

I'm afraid I have to agree with your assessment. I don't like the future w/DRM. Hopefully this won't effect music too much as most MP3 stores sell them without DRM per customer demand, but its the movies that I am worried about.

As I see it, the future is bleak for personal choice & freedom.

The future? Have you forgotten the past? We're already there... ;)

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It may not be 1984 but George Orwell sure did see the future . . .

I found the 'sudo' command! ---> cmd{run as administrator}... :)

I also found the 'root' account... But THAT seems to be a little more trouble than it's worth... ;)

(It's good to be king of my machine again.)

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It may not be 1984 but George Orwell sure did see the future . . .

you can just take the easy argument and blame Microsoft and praise [insert OS name here]

I'm surely no ones 'fan-boy', and I did do my research... But I misunderstood this to mean that all versions shipped with both 32-bit and 64-bit like 'ultimate' does:

"The 64-bit editions of Windows Vista—available for all editions of Windows Vista except Starter"

On the 32-bit box it states that it contains the 32-bit version and provides info on how to obtain the 64-bit version, which points you here:

"64-bit DVD: 
If your system features a 64-bit processor, you can take advantage of its advanced design by ordering 64-bit software media. You'll get the same interface, features, and functions, but you'll get them in an operating system that takes advantage of access to vastly more memory. All installation files are on a single disc. Please note that 64-bit media is included in the box with the purchase of Windows Vista Ultimate."

Ahhhh, now ya tell me... I would assume 'ultimate' customers wouldn't even be reading that web page... eh?

"You can order either of these alternate media for a minimal fee, including shipping and handling."

Come on Microsoft... The stores aren't stocking 64-bit, so just put the darn thing in the box would ya... ;)

(I'm not praising Leopard nor bashing Vista... I knew what I wanted before I even left the house, but the hurdles for 64-bit are simply ridiculous.)

You can download it here http://www.windowsmarketplace.com/content.aspx?ctId=390&WT.mc_id=point_it_download_vista_C_G

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I believe the reason is in hopes to simplify everything for the 'average' user and to save space. Not everyone wants to have 6 different devices when you can reduce it to 2 or 3 powerful ones that can do everything.

The danger here though is that like the music cassette & video cassettes dying out, if DRM continues as it does, those with large CD collections will find that future systems will not play them because they cannot detect DRM licensing on the disks.

As I see it, the future is bleak for personal choice & freedom.

I'm afraid I have to agree with your assessment. I don't like the future w/DRM. Hopefully this won't effect music too much as most MP3 stores sell them without DRM per customer demand, but its the movies that I am worried about.

I watch and hear what ever i want in Vista without any problems.
Maybe in further OS palladium is working better but for now it isn´t.

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With each crime and every kindness we birth our future.

You can download it here

The 64-bit just came in the mail today... (Also made in Puerto Rico, hmmm)

The 32-bit seems to be working just fine for now...

Although, when I'm done 'experimenting', that could change... ;)

(Odd, Safari has a built-in spell checker, IE doesn't... Nor does notepad or wordpad. Am I missing something here?)

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It may not be 1984 but George Orwell sure did see the future . . .

Yup..and the sheeple will continue to rent the OS from Microsoft. I wonder when Microsoft will just come out of the closet and change the public sector business model to a subscription business model....I mean hell, you're already just renting now anyway.
......

If they did "rent" the OS, like Symantec does with their services, imagine how bogged down the internet would be, with large, daily updates to millions of computers.

I have XP, XP64 and Vista systems. All seem to work for me. I think their best, or most manageable sytem ever was 3.11. I used to be able to make DOS sing, 5.0, 6.0, 6.11.... That XT with it's 20MB HDD and 4MB RAM... Why did I ever get a faster computer. Going back to 1980, programming BASIC on a TRS-80. Why would anyone want anything better than that?

Being a little facetious here. However, we are no longer riding a horse or walking to cross the country. Some people call it progress. Others try to maintain the "old" ways. Try driving a Semi through some of the streets in some of the predominantly Omish areas of PA. That operating system just is NOT compatible with the new software/hardware.

To each their own, I liked 3.1, 3.11, 95, 98, XP just fine though, and will probably like Vista just as well. The next one to come along will probably be just fine for me too. As long as they work without too much trouble.

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Yup..and the sheeple will continue to rent the OS from Microsoft. I wonder when Microsoft will just come out of the closet and change the public sector business model to a subscription business model....I mean hell, you're already just renting now anyway.
......

If they did "rent" the OS, like Symantec does with their services, imagine how bogged down the internet would be, with large, daily updates to millions of computers.

I have XP, XP64 and Vista systems. All seem to work for me. I think their best, or most manageable sytem ever was 3.11. I used to be able to make DOS sing, 5.0, 6.0, 6.11.... That XT with it's 20MB HDD and 4MB RAM... Why did I ever get a faster computer. Going back to 1980, programming BASIC on a TRS-80. Why would anyone want anything better than that?

Being a little facetious here. However, we are no longer riding a horse or walking to cross the country. Some people call it progress. Others try to maintain the "old" ways. Try driving a Semi through some of the streets in some of the predominantly Omish areas of PA. That operating system just is NOT compatible with the new software/hardware.

To each their own, I liked 3.1, 3.11, 95, 98, XP just fine though, and will probably like Vista just as well. The next one to come along will probably be just fine for me too. As long as they work without too much trouble.

You can get a subscription to MSDN OS where you can get all the Microsoft Software including the Operating Systems here http://msdn.microsoft.com/en-us/subscriptions/default.aspx for $600 or so you can use all of their OS's.

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Some people call it progress. Others try to maintain the "old" ways.

I gotta tell ya, I don't see much user interface difference between Win95 and Vista...

Yes, I see big changes 'under the hood', but how exactly is that helping 'productivity'?

Microsoft would do well to follow the Linux and Apple communities a little more closely...

It's the 'little things' that make a world of difference... Dictionary, spell checker, ect...

I fully understand that Microsoft has their hands full with security issues and all, but still...

(Vista is nice, but only Linux and Apple have demonstrated true progress over the past ten years.)

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It may not be 1984 but George Orwell sure did see the future . . .

Some people call it progress. Others try to maintain the "old" ways.

I gotta tell ya, I don't see much user interface difference between Win95 and Vista...

Yes, I see big changes 'under the hood', but how exactly is that helping 'productivity'?

Microsoft would do well to follow the Linux and Apple communities a little more closely...

It's the 'little things' that make a world of difference... Dictionary, spell checker, ect...

I fully understand that Microsoft has their hands full with security issues and all, but still...

(Vista is nice, but only Linux and Apple have demonstrated true progress over the past ten years.)

You can get a core MS OS and use the command line or you can use the GUI MS OS there is a choice. I prefer the GUI interface of MS OS's.

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You can get a subscription to MSDN OS where you can get all the Microsoft Software including the Operating Systems here http://msdn.microsoft.com/en-us/subscriptions/default.aspx for $600 or so you can use all of their OS's.

I just looked, $699 for all the operating systems.... but it does NOT specify the 64 bit systems. (That I could find anyway) - plus a $499 renewal... But it is not up front as to how often renewal is required.

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Some people call it progress. Others try to maintain the "old" ways.

I gotta tell ya, I don't see much user interface difference between Win95 and Vista...

Yes, I see big changes 'under the hood', but how exactly is that helping 'productivity'?

Microsoft would do well to follow the Linux and Apple communities a little more closely...

It's the 'little things' that make a world of difference... Dictionary, spell checker, ect...

I fully understand that Microsoft has their hands full with security issues and all, but still...

(Vista is nice, but only Linux and Apple have demonstrated true progress over the past ten years.)

The problem is that every time Microsoft includes something in the OS, people tend to get sue happy and tell them they're being anti-competitive. If they did include a dictionary, all the software makers who offer a dictionary program would claim Microsoft is trying to put them out of business.

Its no wonder why Microsoft follows the pack when it comes to features. Then they get accused of stealing ideas.

Its no wonder why Microsoft follows the pack when it comes to features. Then they get accused of stealing ideas.

Apple steals from Linux then Microsoft steals from Apple...

Ironically, Gnome is similar to MacOS and KDE is similar to Windows...

Stealing ideas and being sued just seems to be 'par for the course' in the wonderful world of computing... ;)

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It may not be 1984 but George Orwell sure did see the future . . .

Its no wonder why Microsoft follows the pack when it comes to features. Then they get accused of stealing ideas.

Apple steals from Linux then Microsoft steals from Apple...

Ironically, Gnome is similar to MacOS and KDE is similar to Windows...

Stealing ideas and being sued just seems to be 'par for the course' in the wonderful world of computing... ;)

...and they all stole the GUI from Xerox! :)


Seriously though, I don't know how Apple could steal from Linux if both Apple and Microsoft are older than Linux (but not Unix).

Some people call it progress. Others try to maintain the "old" ways.

I gotta tell ya, I don't see much user interface difference between Win95 and Vista...

Yes, I see big changes 'under the hood', but how exactly is that helping 'productivity'?

Microsoft would do well to follow the Linux and Apple communities a little more closely...

It's the 'little things' that make a world of difference... Dictionary, spell checker, ect...

I fully understand that Microsoft has their hands full with security issues and all, but still...

(Vista is nice, but only Linux and Apple have demonstrated true progress over the past ten years.)

The problem is that every time Microsoft includes something in the OS, people tend to get sue happy and tell them they're being anti-competitive. If they did include a dictionary, all the software makers who offer a dictionary program would claim Microsoft is trying to put them out of business.

Its no wonder why Microsoft follows the pack when it comes to features. Then they get accused of stealing ideas.

I've never understood why it was so wrong for Microsoft to include a media player in Windows...It's not like you can't get others if you want them...Yet it was a raging controversy in the EU...They made Microsoft issue a special edition of Windows without a media player...Much to the chagrin of those on dialup who were then forced to download one.

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PROUD TO BE TFFE!

I watch and hear what ever i want in Vista without any problems.
Maybe in further OS palladium is working better but for now it isn´t.

On 1st installation of Vista, 60% of my music files were corrupted & the other 40% would not play. To date, I am not sure if it was Vista or Media Player 11.

However, on upgrading MP10 to MP11 on my XP rig, it duplicated a number of albums & messed up others, so reverted to MP10.

Since then I don't allow MP11 on Vista to access my music/film files.

The only problem I foresee for the future is if new filesystems are introduced on computers/media players etc that will not be backwards compatible. For the majority of us that have large media collections, it will become a nightmare to convert. As it is, I have over 7000 films with more being added, together with my music tracks - that is one heck of a conversion!

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I watch and hear what ever i want in Vista without any problems.
Maybe in further OS palladium is working better but for now it isn´t.

On 1st installation of Vista, 60% of my music files were corrupted & the other 40% would not play. To date, I am not sure if it was Vista or Media Player 11.

However, on upgrading MP10 to MP11 on my XP rig, it duplicated a number of albums & messed up others, so reverted to MP10.

Since then I don't allow MP11 on Vista to access my music/film files.

The only problem I foresee for the future is if new filesystems are introduced on computers/media players etc that will not be backwards compatible. For the majority of us that have large media collections, it will become a nightmare to convert. As it is, I have over 7000 films with more being added, together with my music tracks - that is one heck of a conversion!

Set up your own BOINC project to get them all converted!

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I'm still flustered when I hit the apple-c and apple-v key combo and nothing happens.

Well, I gotta give windows some credit here... Apple-v did nothing because ctrl-v is the windows paste command, which works as expected on a mac... On the other hand, apple-v in linux seems to mean 'plaster my web browser full screen and make me fight like heck to get it to shrink back down'... Of course, I could just disable the wobbly windows effect, but where is the fun in that... ;)

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It may not be 1984 but George Orwell sure did see the future . . .

I'm still flustered when I hit the apple-c and apple-v key combo and nothing happens.

Well, I gotta give windows some credit here... Apple-v did nothing because ctrl-v is the windows paste command, which works as expected on a mac... On the other hand, apple-v in linux seems to mean 'plaster my web browser full screen and make me fight like heck to get it to shrink back down'... Of course, I could just disable the wobbly windows effect, but where is the fun in that... ;)

Agree :)

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