A federal judge on Friday said she was satisfied with Microsoft Corp.’s (MSFT.O: Quote, Profile, Research) efforts to comply with its landmark antitrust settlement after the company announced new steps, including free access to some of its Windows operating system code. U.S. District Judge Colleen Kollar-Kotelly said the 2002 settlement with the government was working despite concerns from the Justice Department about one key provision.
Judge: Microsoft Antitrust Pact Working
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Eugenia Loli
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The ‘bogus’ case is over with. Let it go, Windows is a great operating system and I am sick and tired of people complaining about it. If you don’t like it use something else, otherwise it is a free country and get over it.
While I think Microsft is doing a good job of complying, much more needs to be done.
You don’t obviously have no idea why the ‘bogus’ case was about in the first place. Windows being a good/bad operating system has nothing to do with it.
This has to do with the illegal tactics that Microsoft used to get it’s monopoly status. They didn’t play by the rules, and they still don’t today to some extent. They got a tap on the wrist when this was settled, and went back to buisness as usual.
If you don’t like it use something else, otherwise it is a free country and get over it.
Ok, find me an a computer from Dell or IBM or some other OEM with no Windows on it. Truth is there isn’t any. Sure you can say Apple, but Apple is PPC, and I want x86. This shows Microsoft strangle on the OEM market.
Windows may appear to be great, but that is only via maturity and application availability.
The system itself is rather outdated, however Microsoft has also moved onto the NT base for its new OSes. As such, the systems are becoming more modern.
In reality, to make Windows a very nice OS, all that would really need to be done is removal of all of the forced integration. Browsing my files via Internet Explorer (if I used Windows) just seems like a less than perfect solution. Sure you can have some pretty neat stuff that way, but I feel much of it is intrusive, and gives way to even more intrusions.
As on OS developer, I feel that the OS should not interfer with how one would prefer to work. This is also rather standard thoughts shared by, hopefully, everyone. Why would you want your operating system to interfer with how you work?
If Microsoft wants to make some progress, they need hire me or someone from the BeOS camp, at about $500k/year (close to the lowest offer I would ever accept to work at M$).
Oh well, will see what Longhorn is. I feel it will be too little too late as usual, but the Windows-ites will never know the difference.
–The loon
Is that the checks from Microsoft to Bush-Cheney ’04, Inc. and the RNC have cleared. Otherwise the Justice Department wouldn’t have rolled over and played dead on Microsoft’s actions the way they have.
Well, tell me of another operating system that works as well as Windows. I would say Apple, but the applications are lacking.
This was a case was a witch hunt, in the end it made MS dig in that much deeper. They wil continue to develop and make Windows faster, more robust and develop more applications. In the end the end user does NOT care about, ‘Customizing’ everything little thing on the desktop.
If you work in the Enterprise like myself, I don’t have the time to mess with it. I want something that works, gets the job done and a OS with STANDARDS=Windows…
“This has to do with the illegal tactics that Microsoft used to get it’s monopoly status.”
Actually, it is you who has no idea what you’re tlaking about. Microsoft was considered a natural monopoly, meaning they got there legitimately. It was their use of Windows to bolster IE that got them in hot water with the feds.
in terms of technology, after all it is modern microkernel based os
When we get a democrat in the white house we will do something aabout MS if Linux hasn’t got it done first.
We will be keeping the current Republican in the Whitehouse… Sorry, maybe in 2008 but not right now!
cheers!
by Anonymous “Well, tell me of another operating system that works as well as Windows. I would say Apple, but the applications are lacking.”
What application are you looking for? Every app I used on my PC has a Mac equivalent. There are versions of Office; Macromedia’s Flash, Dreamweaver, Fireworks, Freehand; Adobe Acrobat, Photoshop, Illustrator, Framemaker, etc; IE, Netscape, Mozilla, Opera. Plus all of the UNIX/LINUX apps that are available via Fink and the iApps from Apple. There’s more, but can get the idea. Unless you’re a hardcore gamer, I think you should look a little closer.
“When we get a democrat in the white house we will do something aabout MS if Linux hasn’t got it done first.”
Do yourself a favor; don’t hold your breath for either happening anytime soon.
Your comments about quality of software are not in any way correlated with this news item about the antitrust settlement. Not in the slightest bit. You don’t work work “in the Enterprise”, you work at TrollBreed Inc. Please come behind your lame proxy and show yourself instead of trolling around in every Windows and Linux thread. TIA,
The Republicans would have and then the checks would be flowing to the DNC. Bill G and Co were told by the powers that be that it was time to chose sides and they did.
Dont comment on a polical situation you know nothing about.
If Microsoft wants to make some progress, they need hire me or someone from the BeOS camp, at about $500k/year (close to the lowest offer I would ever accept to work at M$).
You WISH they’d ever hire you.
If you work in the Enterprise like myself, I don’t have the time to mess with it. I want something that works, gets the job done and a OS with STANDARDS=Windows…
The only reason why Windows has standards is because Microsoft is mighty enough to control most of the software development today or at least influence it in one or the other way. And no, it doesn’t just work…
its hard to compete with free. Linux is nothing now but i am quite certain that linux will be on at least 50% of all PCs shipping to enterprise within five years.
MS’s tactics are illegal and immoral but we don’t need the gov. to take care of them. The market and linux will do it. The market has found a way and now we all get to enjoy watching MS’ imminent demise. A am really going to enjoy this.I am hoping that apple can grab some share in the process but i’m not holding my breath on that one.
“its hard to compete with free. Linux is nothing now but i am quite certain that linux will be on at least 50% of all PCs shipping to enterprise within five years.”
Linux isn’t free by any means. If it were, corporations like Red Hat and Suse (just to name a few) wouldn’t exist because because they wouldn’t be fulfilling the basic need for starting a company: making money. I do agree with you though that MS is going to be in trouble in the future (not even the short term future, they just posted revenues of 10 billion in the last quarter of ’03!)unlesss it rehauls its business model for the long term. By then, I am sure MS will do something to counter OSS. MS is not a stupid company.
“its hard to compete with free. Linux is nothing now but i am quite certain that linux will be on at least 50% of all PCs shipping to enterprise within five years.”
Microsoft has murdered so many companies over the years by offering products for FREE….. Consider for a moment they made 9 BILLION in profit last year on just there Office Suite. Giving away a few million copies of 2003 Server is certainly not out of the question, or beyond the depth of their pockets either.
Anyone going into direct competition with Microsoft ever with a free product, is if for a major headache. They ain’t going away easily, anytime soon, or without a fight. It’s going to take a lot more than Linux to make them rollover and die…. Count on it.
This has to do with the illegal tactics that Microsoft used to get it’s monopoly status.
No, it doesn’t. It has to do with them being found guilty of abusing monopoly power. There was never any problem with the way they got there.
The farcical aspect is that it’s impossible for a company to know they’re abusing monopoly power until after they’ve been found guilty, but that’s another rant…
Ok, find me an a computer from Dell or IBM or some other OEM with no Windows on it. Truth is there isn’t any.
Bollocks. Dell and IBM are more than happy to sell you machines without Windows. Not to mention the thousands of white-box PC OEMs who are happy to do the same. However, even if they *weren’t*, it would be a specious argument. Who are you to claim you have the right to dictate to IBM, Dell or anyone else should sell computers ?
Sure you can say Apple, but Apple is PPC, and I want x86.
Despite the rantings of others claiming Microsoft kept Apple alive to give the appearance of choice, Apple were never an issue in the lawsuit – they were never considered an alternative to Windows (another reason it was farcical but, again, I digress).
This shows Microsoft strangle on the OEM market.
No, it doesn’t, because it’s quite possible to buy computers with Windows or any other Microsoft product just like it always has been. Just because some OEMs choose to enter into sole-supplier agreements with Microsoft (as they bloody well should be able to) to receive discounts and other benefits, others do not.
Browsing my files via Internet Explorer (if I used Windows) just seems like a less than perfect solution.
No one makes you do that. If you don’t want to have the IE modules loaded, turn off the “Web View” stuff.
As on OS developer, I feel that the OS should not interfer with how one would prefer to work. This is also rather standard thoughts shared by, hopefully, everyone. Why would you want your operating system to interfer with how you work?
If the OS is interfering with the way you work, then you need to learn how to use it. Your argument could be made about *any* GUI.
If you want to have a Windows GUI that doesn’t “interfere with how you work” then either write one yourself or pay someone else to. Microsoft, like Apple (and others), design their interfaces based on averages, not outliers.
–The loon
Heh, how apt.
its hard to compete with free. Linux is nothing now but i am quite certain that linux will be on at least 50% of all PCs shipping to enterprise within five years.
Your optimism, while admirable, is poorly grounded in reality. If all the “enterprises” in the world decided to switch to Linux tomorrow, they would struggle to meet the goal you set.
“Your optimism, while admirable, is poorly grounded in reality. If all the “enterprises” in the world decided to switch to Linux tomorrow, they would struggle to meet the goal you set.”
i said 50% of the shipped PCs not the installed base. In five years places like india, latin america, Africa, packistan, and china will take a bigger piece of the shipped pie. will they use MS? You have korea, Japan, and china working on an open source operating system (probably linux) but i’ll alter my statement to say 50% of shipped pcs will use an open source OS. You have governments everywhere moving away from MS to linux.
You can’t stop this it is happening. the foundation for linux/open source is being laid down. Its driven by price, its driven by a desire to see the inside of the OS but most of all it is driven out of a desire to stop one company from monopolizing the profits of the industry. that is why linux is getting what BeOS never had…..developer support. its slowly happening.
You’ll see.
Bogus?
You have no idea why the case was bogus in the first place. Windows being a good/bad operating system has nothing to do with it.
MS has used illegal tactics to get it’s monopoly status. They have never played by the rules. They got a minor slap on the wrist when this was settled, and went back to buisness as usual.
If you don’t like it use something else, otherwise it is a free country and get over it.
Try finding PC’s with something other than MS installed other than a MAC (no offese mac users), I like X86. MS has ensured that every PC gets installed with their OS. And I have to go to great pains to get a refund.
Now lets talk about proprietary file format. Try using another word processor to open “complex” doc files or excel files. You cant. Openoffice and startoffice do a great job but they are not 100%. Now because other people use MS that means, me, I, have to use it to exchange files. Try submitting a resume in something other than word? So I have to buy a PC, MS latest OS as well as Word.
Lets not forget that MS has a beta program out that will prevent other word processor from reading their file formats. I read that awhile ago on cnet or something like that. So they are fighting tooth and nail to keep people on their products. Why are they building in incompatabilities?
No illegal tatics there.
And no I dont want MS to give away their source code. But I expect file formats to be an open standard. And if you have an issue with open standards, then you might as well unplug your PC from the internet because TCP/IP is an open communications standard. Might as well chuck your browser because HTML is an open standard.
And if MS release their products on another platform other than MAC or Windows, I might actually get a copy of word. Yes I actually like word; however, I dont like the OS’ that it runs on. How about letting the best program win market share instead of shoving it in peoples faces. Competition is good as well as open standards.
i said 50% of the shipped PCs not the installed base.
I know what you said. I think five years is optimistic. Ten is more realistic, but even that’s assuming Microsoft don’t change anything in their pricing structures, software bundles, support, etc.
You have governments everywhere moving away from MS to linux.
You have governments *considering* moving to Linux.
You can’t stop this it is happening.
Assuming OSS is providing equivalent levels of functionality, why would I want to ?
the foundation for linux/open source is being laid down. Its driven by price, […]
No, it isn’t. Well, it is, but not in the way you are thinking.
Enterprises don’t use Linux distros like Debian or Gentoo and downloaded copies of OpenOffice. They use commercial distros like SuSe or Redhat and paid-for-support versions of OpenOffice. In other words, the cost per desktop for a linux distro is not markedly different from the cost per desktop of Windows.
When/if Linux provides a lower TCO, it will be considered and possibly implemented. If Linux solutions require less *people* resources to use, then they will replace Windows. This is far from guaranteed, as taken over the lifetime of a system, the initial cost of the OS and software is insignificant.
[…] its driven by a desire to see the inside of the OS […]
Rubbish. Why would the average company want to waste money and resources “seeing the inside of the OS” ? It’s not like being able to “see the inside of the OS” is going to give most of them any realistically tangible benefits over letting someone else worry about it.
[…] but most of all it is driven out of a desire to stop one company from monopolizing the profits of the industry.
Er, no. Why should $COMPANY give a flying fuck about who’s making the most money in the software industry ?
Enterprises will shift to Linux if and when it offers a platform with significant enough advantages to justify the *enormous* costs of migration and/or incompatibility.
that is why linux is getting what BeOS never had…..developer support. its slowly happening.
Linux is getting it *now* because BeOS died out years ago. The two aren’t in any way comparable to today’s environment.
You’ll see.
Undoubtedly. And since I’m quite happy to use and recommend whichever platform best suits the task at hand, I’ll be well positioned to leverage whoever “wins”.
If the OS is interfering with the way you work, then you need to learn how to use it.
I use WindowsXP Pro at work everyday. I often receive errors saying I can’t empty the recycle bin because a certain file is in use that isn’t even in the recycle bin. Or quite often Explorer, not just the browser, but all my other folder windows, start bar and desktop icons will all of a sudden quit and disappear. This greatly interferes with my work. Normal operations like emptying the recycle bin shouldn’t get in my way.
This has to do with the illegal tactics that Microsoft used to get it’s monopoly status. They didn’t play by the rules, and they still don’t today to some extent. They got a tap on the wrist when this was settled, and went back to buisness as usual.
Did you bother to read the article?
<ul>
U.S. District Judge Colleen Kollar-Kotelly said the 2002 settlement with the government was working despite concerns from the Justice Department about one key provision.
“The decree seems to be operating,” Kollar-Kotelly said. “We only have concerns about one provision.”
</ul>
Quite obviously, it’s not business as usual at Microsoft. They’re complying. If that isn’t good enough for the anti-M$ zealots, so be it. You lose.
i said 50% of the shipped PCs not the installed base.
Oh, puh-lease. Do you realize how pitifully small the market is for desktop Linux PCs currently? There’s practically zero demand — and you’re predicting that 50% of shipped PCs will have Linux on them within 5 years?!? I’d take that bet. Want to put your money where your mouth is?
The system itself is rather outdated, however Microsoft has also moved onto the NT base for its new OSes. As such, the systems are becoming more modern.
You contradicted yourself: Is the system “rather outdated” or “becoming more modern”?
In reality, to make Windows a very nice OS…
Who’s reality? I didn’t realize that OSes have personalities.
all that would really need to be done is removal of all of the forced integration. Browsing my files via Internet Explorer (if I used Windows) just seems like a less than perfect solution.
The tools are readily available to prevent Windows from running or displaying Internet Explorer. And there are plenty of third-party browsers such as Mozilla, Opera, etc.
As on OS developer, I feel that the OS should not interfere with how one would prefer to work.
Lame and bogus criticism. Don’t like the Windows shell? No problem. There’s no reason that somebody can’t run Windows with an alternate shell — or a command-line, if that’s how “one would prefer to work”.
If Microsoft wants to make some progress, they need hire me or someone from the BeOS camp, at about $500k/year (close to the lowest offer I would ever accept to work at M$).
Dude, my advice would be to unjack from the lame-ass matrix that your OSS friends have created. Damn few OS developers are worth $500K per year. Anders Hjelsberg is one of the few who come to mind.
it will happen. if not five years then seven but its going to happen sooner as opposed to later. MS is toast. I will patiently watch and enjoy doing so.
PS: china and india are pretty big places. even intel will tell you that the future of the pc market is in those places not the US or Europe. We’ll see just how much windows is embraced in china and india in the future.
I use WindowsXP Pro at work everyday. I often receive errors saying I can’t empty the recycle bin because a certain file is in use that isn’t even in the recycle bin. Or quite often Explorer, not just the browser, but all my other folder windows, start bar and desktop icons will all of a sudden quit and disappear. This greatly interferes with my work. Normal operations like emptying the recycle bin shouldn’t get in my way.
You are describing abnormal, not normal, behaviour. Get your computer fixed.
it will happen. if not five years then seven but its going to happen sooner as opposed to later. MS is toast. I will patiently watch and enjoy doing so.
All this, from the comfort of your padded cell.
You are describing abnormal, not normal, behaviour. Get your computer fixed.
On Windows, this behaviour is as normal as normal can be. Just because it works for you doesn’t mean it’s abnormal if it doesn’t work for somebody else. Microsoft should better fix the countless bugs in their OS, but as long as people pay for buggy software, I’m afraid they won’t.
Your forgetting one thing, most of there population can’t afford to eat, where’s the market? business is where, frankly that probably amounts to less sales than MS have in my town.
“On Windows, this behaviour is as normal as normal can be. Just because it works for you doesn’t mean it’s abnormal if it doesn’t work for somebody else. Microsoft should better fix the countless bugs in their OS, but as long as people pay for buggy software, I’m afraid they won’t.”
That is not normal behavior. If that behavior was “as normal as normal can be”, then everyone would have the same problems. The majority do not. Therefore, it is abnormal. On a different tack – if you think Microsoft’s products are the only one with bugs – well, your exposure to other operating systems is limited.
On Windows, this behaviour is as normal as normal can be.
Bullshit.
Just because it works for you doesn’t mean it’s abnormal if it doesn’t work for somebody else.
The converse is also true. Just because your machine is broken doesn’t mean the behaviour is normal.
Normal behaviour is not what you describe. Not only because it only happens to minority of people but also because if it *was* that broken by default, no-one would use it.
Microsoft should better fix the countless bugs in their OS, but as long as people pay for buggy software, I’m afraid they won’t.
Get your computer fixed.
On Windows, this behaviour is as normal as normal can be.
Bullshit.
Just because it works for you doesn’t mean it’s abnormal if it doesn’t work for somebody else.
The converse is also true. Just because your machine is broken doesn’t mean the behaviour is normal.
Normal behaviour is not what you describe. Not only because it only happens to minority of people but also because if it *was* that broken by default, no-one would use it.
Microsoft should better fix the countless bugs in their OS, but as long as people pay for buggy software, I’m afraid they won’t.
Get your computer fixed.
That is not normal behavior. If that behavior was “as normal as normal can be”, then everyone would have the same problems. The majority do not. Therefore, it is abnormal.
You’re forgetting about one thing: The majority of people use Windows differently than the experienced user does; They boot it up, surf the net, then chat a bit, then write some stuff in Word, but only one thing at a time, and they never use it to the max. When I actually began using computers, Windows showed how unstable it was. And I’m talking about XP here. If you treat your OS like joe-average does, you’ll never know how buggy it is. I have used about every flavour of Windows, on a lot of different hardware, and I experienced the same problems every time.
On a different tack – if you think Microsoft’s products are the only one with bugs – well, your exposure to other operating systems is limited.
Erm, did I say other OSes don’t have bugs? I know they do. But Windows does have bugs in areas where there shouldn’t be any.
Bullshit.
Please stop acting like a chield.
Get your computer fixed.
Phrases like this is what I expect to hear from the average Microsoft fanatic. “If something’s wrong with Windows, it’s your fault.” Ridiculous.
You’re forgetting about one thing: The majority of people use Windows differently than the experienced user does; They boot it up, surf the net, then chat a bit, then write some stuff in Word, but only one thing at a time, and they never use it to the max.
I *am* an experienced and advanced user. The behaviour of your machine is abnormal.
When I actually began using computers, Windows showed how unstable it was. And I’m talking about XP here. If you treat your OS like joe-average does, you’ll never know how buggy it is.
Funny how I’ve never experienced the behaviour you describe on any normally functioning machine. Nor have most people I know.
It is not normal. If you wish, for your own reasons – be they political, religious or just stupid – to ignore this fact, that’s ok. But please don’t try and convince other people who *know* it isn’t normal – and in particular, newbies who don’t have the experience to know better – that it is.
I have used about every flavour of Windows, on a lot of different hardware, and I experienced the same problems every time.
“When I actually began using computers, Windows showed how unstable it was. And I’m talking about XP here.”
If you “actually began using computers” with XP, then I find any claims to have used “about every flavour of Windows, on a lot of different hardware” questionable at best.
Phrases like this is what I expect to hear from the average Microsoft fanatic. “If something’s wrong with Windows, it’s your fault.” Ridiculous.
When atypical behaviour happens, then it might be dodgy hardware or software. At no stage did I say it was the *user’s* fault. When it’s trivial to demonstrate the behaviour you describe *not* occurring while keeping the OS factor constant, then clearly the cause must lie elsewhere.
Your computer, if it is behaving as you describe, is broken. Get it fixed.
Ok, I think we have a misunderstanding here. I didn’t want to say that I experienced the same problems like the guy I was referring to. I just wanted to say that Windows _always_ has behaved strange for me. There always have been a lot of problems, and I know quite a few people who switched to other OSes because they couldn’t stand them anymore. Some problems _got_ fixed with XP, but it’s behaviour is still very, well, dodgy. For me it has always been pretty slow, but maybe it’s just because I know other OSes which are way faster. (Please don’t ask for examples now; You know there are some)
It is not normal. If you wish, for your own reasons – be they political, religious or just stupid – to ignore this fact, that’s ok. But please don’t try and convince other people who *know* it isn’t normal – and in particular, newbies who don’t have the experience to know better – that it is.
If you think this way, fine. Like I already said, I know people having the same problems with Windows, and I consider all of them being experienced users. But please, please, stop acting like a chield. Don’t call me stupid just because my oppinion differs from yours. And it has _nothing_ to do with politics or religion. I wrote all this because I _care_ for the facts.
If you “actually began using computers” with XP, then I find any claims to have used “about every flavour of Windows, on a lot of different hardware” questionable at best.
I began with DOS 6.22 & Win 3.11, then Win95, then Win98, then Win2k, then WinXP. Of course there are some other Windows versions I didn’t use (like ME), but I think it’s enough to take my complaints serious, don’t you think?
When atypical behaviour happens, then it might be dodgy hardware or software. At no stage did I say it was the *user’s* fault. When it’s trivial to demonstrate the behaviour you describe *not* occurring while keeping the OS factor constant, then clearly the cause must lie elsewhere.
Okay, if it is dodgy software, it shouldn’t affect the whole OS. I think you know Windows often gets in trouble when some application crashes or doesn’t behave like it should in some way.
Your computer, if it is behaving as you describe, is broken. Get it fixed.
My computer is about one month old now.
I could write a whole book about Windows’ bugs, but you still wouldn’t believe me, right? Ok, maybe you and all the people you know belong to the lucky ones never having problems with Windows. I don’t.
Provolone – I hope this does not apply to you, but based on what you are describing on your xp machine, you probably have a worm/virus. Looking at my mail server logs this am, I see a stream of connection attempts from a machine named ???08665041. My bet is that somebody’s machine is infected and does’nt know it.
Ok, I think we have a misunderstanding here. I didn’t want to say that I experienced the same problems like the guy I was referring to.
Regardless of who it’s happening to, it’s not normal.
I just wanted to say that Windows _always_ has behaved strange for me. There always have been a lot of problems, and I know quite a few people who switched to other OSes because they couldn’t stand them anymore.
Uh huh. Let me guess, they’re running it on cobbled-together bargain basement hardware from manufacturers who don’t even have web sites written in English with driver versions that haven’t even gotten past 1.0 yet ?
Some problems _got_ fixed with XP, but it’s behaviour is still very, well, dodgy. For me it has always been pretty slow, but maybe it’s just because I know other OSes which are way faster. (Please don’t ask for examples now; You know there are some)
I can think of a few, but they’re hardly mainstream or, in most cases, feature-equal. Windows (particularly XP) is not slow, if you’re comparing fairly.
It is not normal. If you wish, for your own reasons – be they political, religious or just stupid – to ignore this fact, that’s ok. But please don’t try and convince other people who *know* it isn’t normal – and in particular, newbies who don’t have the experience to know better – that it is.
If you think this way, fine. Like I already said, I know people having the same problems with Windows, and I consider all of them being experienced users. But please, please, stop acting like a chield.
I’m not the one obstinately accepting broken behaviour as normal to try and make a point. These people’s computers are *broken*. Presumably, they wouldn’t put up with such behaviour for other OSes, so why the heck do they put up with it from Windows ?
Don’t call me stupid just because my oppinion differs from yours. And it has _nothing_ to do with politics or religion. I wrote all this because I _care_ for the facts.
I didn’t call you stupid, I merely offered it as one of the few reasons I could fathom that someone would not get a broken machines fixed while trying to convince other people who know better that the behaviour is normal.
This is not a matter of opinion, it’s a matter of fact. The behaviour you describe is abnormal. It does not happen to everyone. It’s demonstratably not OS related because when the OS remains unchanged, the behaviour does not.
I began with DOS 6.22 & Win 3.11, then Win95, then Win98, then Win2k, then WinXP. Of course there are some other Windows versions I didn’t use (like ME), but I think it’s enough to take my complaints serious, don’t you think?
Not when you’re prepared to put up with a broken Windows machine “just because it’s Windows”.
Okay, if it is dodgy software, it shouldn’t affect the whole OS.
A poorly written driver or piece of software operating with elevated privileges can _easily_ affect the entire OS – on just about any platform.
I think you know Windows often gets in trouble when some application crashes or doesn’t behave like it should in some way.
I know it can happen with _some_ pieces of software or drivers that twiddle with OS internals or run with elevated privileges, but that’s hardly a description of “normal” programs and it sure as hell doesn’t happen “often”.
My computer is about one month old now.
Nevertheless, it is behaving in a broken fashion.
You presumably wouldn’t accept this behaviour from other OSes, why do you accept it from Windows ? I sure as hell wouldn’t.
I could write a whole book about Windows’ bugs, but you still wouldn’t believe me, right?
If they were reproduceable and independent of software and hardware, of course I would.
Ok, maybe you and all the people you know belong to the lucky ones never having problems with Windows. I don’t.
I’ve had problems with Windows – but no more than I’ve had with any other OS and certainly not to the level you are implying.
Ok, I give up. The whole “discussion” just angers me. Simply wanted to express my experiences about this OS in a calm way, nothing more, nothing less. I’ve just written what I think about Windows and what I know a lot of other people think about Windows. Period. If you wish, comment again, but this is all I have to say. I’m tired…