Microsoft's long-awaited release of the upgrade to its flagship Windows operating system will likely be delayed again by at least three months, research group Gartner said on Tuesday. The research note, released to clients on Monday, said the new Windows Vista operating system is too complex to be able to meet Microsoft's targeted November release for volume licence customers and January launch for retail consumers. A Microsoft spokeswoman said the company disagreed with the Gartner report and it was still on track to meet its launch dates.
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Member since:2005-12-05
Why did Xandros fail?
Only times I've seen Windows Fail on install is if the hardware is glitchy somewhere. Bad Memory, CPU, or Motherboard mostly. Change one of the above and voila... it works...
"Windows is made for the lowest common denominator, i.e. people who wouldn't know a "bigger than minor" OS issue from minor issue, or (more likely) a hippopotamus's rear end. The difference is that with Linux you have a CHOICE, so when a distro comes out that is targeted to newbies, but has "bigger than minor issues," (e.g. Xandros completely failing to install on my machine), you can switch to a distro that doesn't. "
You are absolutely right... BUT.... the lowest common denominator is the MOST common. So are you saying that people who don't want to "chose" or tinker are stupid and get what they deserve?
I'm pretty well versed in Linux being Linux+ certified and administrate about 10 Linux-based server here at my job. I used to teach linux certification as well as A+ and Network+. So I'm in no way a "newb" but I also see the big picture here. Windows is NOT going anywhere anytime soon... it's here to stay and will be the dominate OS... UNLESS The Linux community and Distro makers can get more uniformity across the board. As for people knowing Minor or bigger than minor issues.. They shouldn't HAVE to worry about those things. Not all people are computer/OS enthuseists like us. They just want it to work and do what they want to do. And the truth is.. Windows DOES just work for a majority of people. they can go into any store and buy software and/or games off the shelf and it just.. works... Not everyone knows about repositories and some don't even know about free download sites for free software.
I've used Windows since Dos/Windows.. I've seen the ugliness, it has come a LONG way. I've used all the MS OSs at one time or another. I used XP SP2 at home now, mostly because I'm a WoW freak, and I don't have the cliche "BSODs" all the time and all that other Fodder you hear.. I never had.. I've had a few random oddness in the past, but no more than I have on Linux. Like I said above the only times I've had trouble on other machines with Windows is when there is sometime not right with the hardware, like it's starting to fail. Windows is MUCH more pickier with hardware quality than other OSs. I can take one of the machines that XP is bombing on and put Win98SE on it and it will work.. Does that mean XP is crap? no... XP uses a different kernel and it requires more stability in Hardware than the 9x kernel does.. Same goes with Linux, sometimes the Linux kernel is more forgiving. Is that MS or XPs fault? no, I'd say that is the hardwares fault, but yet people quickly point their fingers at MS. <Shrug> oh well.
Member since:2006-04-21
Why did Xandros fail?
I think the installer had trouble coming up on my machine. It was a long time ago, but seeing as how it was supposed to be a well-supported distro for newbies, I was NOT impressed.
Come to think of it, its predecessor Corel Linux failed as well...spent all night trying to install itself, and STILL wasn't finished by morning. But that was even further back. Two different machines.
Only times I've seen Windows Fail on install is if the hardware is glitchy somewhere. Bad Memory, CPU, or Motherboard mostly. Change one of the above and voila... it works...
Sorry, I wasn't clear. I was mainly thinking of Windows problems after installation, like crashing every five minutes due to a program it didn't like (Encyclopedia Britannica). note: not only the PROGRAM crashed, but the OS. I never saw crashes that frequent even on AmigaOS, with no memory protection.
Come to think of it, though, I once tried to install Windows on a second hard drive with Linux on the first drive. Crashed and burned, but thankfully didn't screw up Linux. OK, so it was DESIGNED to only install on the first HD, first partition, but that is BAD design.
You are absolutely right... BUT.... the lowest common denominator is the MOST common. So are you saying that people who don't want to "chose" or tinker are stupid and get what they deserve?
No, I'm saying that Linux is (increasingly) made for almost everyone, depending on the distro you choose. Just like cars. If we (again) compare the car and OS markets, the situation in the OS market (excluding Linux) is like having a choice between three or four Ford or Toyota models, and NOTHING else. But some people like Audis, Vauxhalls (GM-owned British make), or even Kias.
I'm pretty well versed in Linux being Linux+ certified and administrate about 10 Linux-based server here at my job. I used to teach linux certification as well as A+ and Network+. So I'm in no way a "newb" but I also see the big picture here. Windows is NOT going anywhere anytime soon... it's here to stay and will be the dominate OS... UNLESS The Linux community and Distro makers can get more uniformity across the board. As for people knowing Minor or bigger than minor issues.. They shouldn't HAVE to worry about those things. Not all people are computer/OS enthuseists like us. They just want it to work and do what they want to do. And the truth is.. Windows DOES just work for a majority of people. they can go into any store and buy software and/or games off the shelf and it just.. works... Not everyone knows about repositories and some don't even know about free download sites for free software.
Uniformity isn't the problem (see above). Enforced dominance of Windows is. Companies like HP and IBM already spend millions on Linux so that they can use it on server systems; if they didn't have the Sword of Ballmercles hanging over them, threatening to pull Windows from them if they even countenance anything else, they would both pre-install more Linux systems and improve it for newbies. Plus, there'd be a bigger market for software, so people like Corel and Adobe would port Wordperfect and Illustrator, MS be damned.
I've used Windows since Dos/Windows.. I've seen the ugliness, it has come a LONG way. I've used all the MS OSs at one time or another. I used XP SP2 at home now, mostly because I'm a WoW freak, and I don't have the cliche "BSODs" all the time and all that other Fodder you hear.. I never had.. I've had a few random oddness in the past, but no more than I have on Linux. Like I said above the only times I've had trouble on other machines with Windows is when there is sometime not right with the hardware, like it's starting to fail. Windows is MUCH more pickier with hardware quality than other OSs. I can take one of the machines that XP is bombing on and put Win98SE on it and it will work.. Does that mean XP is crap? no... XP uses a different kernel and it requires more stability in Hardware than the 9x kernel does.. Same goes with Linux, sometimes the Linux kernel is more forgiving. Is that MS or XPs fault? no, I'd say that is the hardwares fault, but yet people quickly point their fingers at MS. <Shrug> oh well.
I think people point the finger at MS because it doesn't live up to its promises.
On the machine I had on which Win98 kept failing, it MAY have been a hardware problem, but Linux worked like a dream.
I think an awful lot of people are willing to live under dictators, if that dictator does a good job; and I understand that MS can't really say "YMMV", but their claims are usually SO much out of kilter with reality that people who know better - well, it IS possible to know better. ATM, Linux is for the people who realize that a dictator is a dictator is a dictator, and aren't willing to live under one because, unchecked, they all go bad in the end. Windows is improving, but so is Linux, and for many purposes it was already far better. MS's big advantage is that it runs all the apps out there; as a platform, it is the best; as an OS, it still sucks, IMO.
Member since:
2006-04-21
How much "bigger than minor" do you want your issues to be? I have used Windows and Linux distros alike with "bigger than minor" issues. (Specifically, Win98 and Xandros, to name two). Where was the outcry from Windows users?
NON-existent.
Windows is made for the lowest common denominator, i.e. people who wouldn't know a "bigger than minor" OS issue from minor issue, or (more likely) a hippopotamus's rear end. The difference is that with Linux you have a CHOICE, so when a distro comes out that is targeted to newbies, but has "bigger than minor issues," (e.g. Xandros completely failing to install on my machine), you can switch to a distro that doesn't.
With Windows you either take it or leave it. Yes, I left it, and was quite happy to do so, ta very much.