with a custom version of the Linux operating system

Yep. Doesn't work out of the box.

Are you saying you've left your Windows system exactly as it was when you installed it? Or have you installed a few extra programs, thus making it a custom system?

I can't make, nor can you, a custom version of windows. I can change user options e.g. background picture, but that is not a custom version of windows.

But you *CAN* make your Linux "custom"..no one needs a favorite distro.

Thank you for confirming that it doesn't work out of the box and must be customized.

Nice try. Just because I customize something does not make it broken. Der?

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with a custom version of the Linux operating system

Yep. Doesn't work out of the box.

Are you saying you've left your Windows system exactly as it was when you installed it? Or have you installed a few extra programs, thus making it a custom system?

I can't make, nor can you, a custom version of windows. I can change user options e.g. background picture, but that is not a custom version of windows.

But you *CAN* make your Linux "custom"..no one needs a favorite distro.

Thank you for confirming that it doesn't work out of the box and must be customized.

Nice try. Just because I customize something does not make it broken. Der?

So just because I customize windows dsoent make it broken either. So what if I had to download speedfan or Lunatics insatller. Does your latest greatest distro come with lunatics for linux pre installed.

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[/quote]

Old James

Windows 8 is clearly an attempt to imitate Android. Android is linux. Redmond has lost the game.

Seriously without a loss, Redmond could adopt linux and make certain WINE runs every version of Windows and not lose a thing by way of marketing or sales.

One might reasonably suggest it is just a matter of time.

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Unvarnished
Haaretz
Jerusalem Post
The origin of the Yahweh Cult

Well hopefully once Ballmer is gone, M$ will realise that 1 OS will not fit all and we will wind up with the true successor to Win7 for those of us who don't use smart phones or tablets and need a more productive system.

As for Linux, you can keep it on servers or Geeks' desktops, as I (and 85% of everyone else) don't like jumping through hoops just to get a simple application or driver to work.

End of story.

As I've said before, if linux can be made as user friendly as Windows (pre Win8 of course) then linux will have a market, but it ain't going to happen as the OS is far to fragmented and simple user intimidating to be anything else other than a server, geek or kiosk OS (do I need to throw in that link of mine in again to make my point?).

BTW, Google is trying but it's still a Kiosk OS so far.

Free is 1 thing, getting most things to work easily, simply and properly for most is another story (and I've tried several flavours so far, but none have cut it for me yet), so either do something about that or just STFU. ;-)

Cheers.

with a custom version of the Linux operating system

Yep. Doesn't work out of the box.

Are you saying you've left your Windows system exactly as it was when you installed it? Or have you installed a few extra programs, thus making it a custom system?

I can't make, nor can you, a custom version of windows. I can change user options e.g. background picture, but that is not a custom version of windows.

But you *CAN* make your Linux "custom"..no one needs a favorite distro.

Thank you for confirming that it doesn't work out of the box and must be customized.

Nice try. Just because I customize something does not make it broken. Der?

So just because I customize windows dsoent make it broken either. So what if I had to download speedfan or Lunatics insatller. Does your latest greatest distro come with lunatics for linux pre installed.

Nobody said your Windows is broken because you customize it. Well, I certainly didn't.

Around in circles we go...

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Windows 8 is clearly an attempt to imitate Android. Android is linux. Redmond has lost the game.

Seriously without a loss, Redmond could adopt linux and make certain WINE runs every version of Windows and not lose a thing by way of marketing or sales.

One might reasonably suggest it is just a matter of time.

Windows ain't going anywhere. Windows is for the general masses. It's designed specifically for those who simply want the OS to do everything for them....point click and go.

Microsoft has done a fantastic job dumbing it down for them so they can surf the web and check their email.

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Windows 8 is clearly an attempt to imitate Android. Android is linux. Redmond has lost the game.

Seriously without a loss, Redmond could adopt linux and make certain WINE runs every version of Windows and not lose a thing by way of marketing or sales.

One might reasonably suggest it is just a matter of time.

Windows ain't going anywhere. Windows is for the general masses. It's designed specifically for those who simply want the OS to do everything for them....point click and go.

Microsoft has done a fantastic job dumbing it down for them so they can surf the web and check their email.

Like you dont surf the web and check your E-mail?
I like pointing and clicking to surf the web and read my E-mail. Are you saying that linux still makes you use command prompts? WOW what a hell of selling point that is. ( Oh I forgot your OS is free )

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[/quote]

Old James

Windows ain't going anywhere. Windows is for the general masses. It's designed specifically for those who simply want the OS to do everything for them....point click and go.

Microsoft has done a fantastic job dumbing it down for them so they can surf the web and check their email.

That is essentially what I have been saying. All the average Joe wants and needs is surfing and email, plus MsOffice. So Windows does what it says on the tin and meets customer requirements. And as Windows customers are the vast majority, Windows will continue to be the biggest selling OS.

For those that need a more hands on controllable system that they can manipulate to suit their needs there is Linux. It's simply horses for courses. There has never been any argument about that.

What makes so many people cross is Linux users looking down their noses at Windows users as IT illiterate, and taking any opportunity to rubbish the most popular system in favour of their niche one. It would not surprise me one day to have Linux users start to bang on peoples doors in groups of 3 or 4 like the JW's, trying to convince people that their life is bereft! You think I joke? They are already doing it here in so many words. And in so doing they are shooting themselves in the foot, because everyone says if your system is so great, shouldn't that be self evident, why do you need to keep banging on about it?

+1
I think they also talk out of their RedHat too. 1993 ring a bell.

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[/quote]

Old James

Windows 8 is clearly an attempt to imitate Android. Android is linux. Redmond has lost the game.

Seriously without a loss, Redmond could adopt linux and make certain WINE runs every version of Windows and not lose a thing by way of marketing or sales.

One might reasonably suggest it is just a matter of time.

Windows ain't going anywhere. Windows is for the general masses. It's designed specifically for those who simply want the OS to do everything for them....point click and go.

Microsoft has done a fantastic job dumbing it down for them so they can surf the web and check their email.

Like you dont surf the web and check your E-mail?
I like pointing and clicking to surf the web and read my E-mail. Are you saying that linux still makes you use command prompts? WOW what a hell of selling point that is. ( Oh I forgot your OS is free )

Linux doesn't 'make' you do anything. Although, I suppose I could do everything command line if I wanted. Can you check your email via command line in Windows? Yes, you can.

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Windows ain't going anywhere. Windows is for the general masses. It's designed specifically for those who simply want the OS to do everything for them....point click and go.

Microsoft has done a fantastic job dumbing it down for them so they can surf the web and check their email.

That is essentially what I have been saying. All the average Joe wants and needs is surfing and email, plus MsOffice. So Windows does what it says on the tin and meets customer requirements. And as Windows customers are the vast majority, Windows will continue to be the biggest selling OS.

For those that need a more hands on controllable system that they can manipulate to suit their needs there is Linux. It's simply horses for courses. There has never been any argument about that.

What makes so many people cross is Linux users looking down their noses at Windows users as IT illiterate, and taking any opportunity to rubbish the most popular system in favour of their niche one. It would not surprise me one day to have Linux users start to bang on peoples doors in groups of 3 or 4 like the JW's, trying to convince people that their life is bereft! You think I joke? They are already doing it here in so many words. And in so doing they are shooting themselves in the foot, because everyone says if your system is so great, shouldn't that be self evident, why do you need to keep banging on about it?

If all you are doing is checking your email, surfing the web and using MS Office, why are you paying for it?

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*Ding dong*
Good morning, my name is Simon and I am in your neighborhood discussing Linux with you and your neighbors. With all the horrible things caused by Microsoft, many wonder if an alternative really exists, what do you think about this?

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Life on earth is the global equivalent of not storing things in the fridge.

If all you are doing is checking your email, surfing the web and using MS Office, why are you paying for it?

I'm paying for it because my ISP has had to hire a pile of white coats to keep their linux boxes running.

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Ah, you're all wrong. TOPS10 was the best O/S! It was ASCII before ASCII was cool! Screw EBCDIC!

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Sorry, but I'm going to have to disagree with you there. :)

CP/M has far too many drawbacks to be considered the gold standard. It lacks support for FAT16, preventing it from being used on disks larger than 32MiB assuming a logical sector size of 512 bytes. Initially only an 8bit OS for the Intel 8080/8085 and could only address up to 64KiB of RAM.

On the other hand, MS- or PC DOS 3.31 could run on any x86 compatible processor from manufacturers such as Intel, AMD, Texas Instruments, Cyrix and NEC, address up to a full 1MiB of RAM(!) and supported FAT16 (a.k.a. FAT16B) for hard drives up to 2GiB(!) sizes.

DOS 3.31 could run in as little as 64KiB of RAM if needed (it only required MSDOS.SYS, IO.SYS and COMMAND.COM [MS-DOS] or PCDOS.SYS, IBMIO.SYS and COMMAND.COM [PC DOS]). If you have more RAM, you could run Terminate and Stay Resident (TSR) programs that could provide you with an enhanced operating experience.

While it may have lacked a built-in terminal emulator, you could write your own programs using QuickBASIC (a.k.a. QBASIC) written by Microsoft, and it had widespread industry support for applications taking advantage of these advanced features!

DOS 3.31 should be the gold standard! ;-)

If you can verify it's good, I may make you an offer.

I have a working 5 1/4" disk drive in my junk box.

T.A.

If all you are doing is checking your email, surfing the web and using MS Office, why are you paying for it?

I'm paying for it because my ISP has had to hire a pile of white coats to keep their linux boxes running.

^^ Because that makes total sense. It really does...

//sarcasm

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If all you are doing is checking your email, surfing the web and using MS Office, why are you paying for it?

C'mon Mr B, I am not PAYING for it, I PAID for it. I now get free upgrades for the life of the system. In fact I can run the system for the next 20 years if I want to totally free, but of course it might become more vulnerable. It's the convenience factor. Why do I go down to the supermarket (not Mall!) and buy a can of soup for 75p? Because it is quicker, easier, and cheaper than making my own at home. Maybe it won't "taste" as nice, but hey I am a busy man, I haven't got the time to spend all day over a hot stove. Getting the drift?

Actually, you are renting it.

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Actually, you are renting it.

No I'm not! Renting is defined as regular and CONTINUING payments, weekly, monthly, or yearly, to continue using a product or service. e.g. you rent a house, you buy one on mortgage, you buy life insurance etc.

You buy a copy of Windows with a licence, and that is a one off payment.

I only rent the beer I buy over the pub, I'll grant you that!!

So do you get free upgrades when new versions of Windows comes out?

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So do you get free upgrades when new versions of Windows comes out?

Of course not! D you get free upgrades when the latest model of the car you are buying on terms comes out? You might do if you have a leasing agreement, you don't as an outright purchase. I'm still running XP on boxes because it does what I want, the day it doesn't I'll change it for something else.

Now them Michael, if you're trying to be an advert for Linux, that wasn't very good was it? From my recollection you were much more on the ball some years ago :-))

I don't really care what people use for their OS, really, doesn't affect me in any way.

But since you went there...if you could get the next model of car for free, wouldn't you?

Won't be long and Microsoft's business model will be yearly use fees instead of version licensing...they've been trying to go that route for a few years now.

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