It's ironic.
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| Author | Content |
|---|---|
| Ridcully Jan 05, 2016 5:51 PM EDT |
I was reading Dan Gilmor's article and then came to this statement in his text:Quoting:Meanwhile, Microsoft’s Windows 10?—?by almost all accounts a huge usability improvement over Windows 8?—?looks more and more like spyware masquerading as an operating system (a characterization that may be unfair, but not by much). This aspect of Win10 is one I have now hit again and again. I was talking to a local computer repair man two days ago and asked him "how is Win10 travelling ?" His response was: "Oh, you mean the roll-back project !" It wasn't a question in reply, it was a statement. Apparently customer after customer is coming in and requesting he help them roll back the Win10 installations that have forced themselves onto the customer's computers.....and they aren't happy. Given the "spy-ware" aspect, coupled with the inevitable malware attacks, it seems to me that the only way you can really keep Win10 safe from both malware and, of all things, Redmond itself, is to never plug it into the internet. Assuming I am correct, it's ironic really, because I as far as I know, the first Windows software was developed without internet ability - well, the internet as such wasn't really around properly yet. I seem to recall that Gates himself said that the internet would never take off. When you think about it and try to be cynical, Microsoft has at last closed the circle. Its first versions of the OS didn't talk to the internet because they didn't have the ability (I still remember the difficulties in getting Win98SE onto the net), but its last version is almost blocked from using the internet because of the dangers of doing so. Like I said, I'm cynical, but it's an interesting situation to watch. |
| seatex Jan 05, 2016 6:54 PM EDT |
I've been converting at least one person a week from Win10 to Linux Mint. And so far, none regretting it. |
| notbob Jan 06, 2016 1:52 PM EDT |
> I still remember the difficulties in getting Win98SE onto the net I don't. We had W95, W98, at work, and W98SE after I retired. I never had a problem getting on the internet. Always used Netscape, of course, but getting on the web was never a problem. More like keeping one's box from being hacked, even with 3rd party security software. I was hacked 3 times in 6 mos, the last time being the worst. That's when I changed to Linux. |
| jdixon Jan 06, 2016 2:01 PM EDT |
> We had W95, W98, at work, and W98SE after I retired. I never had a problem getting on the internet. The first version of Win95 didn't ship with a tcp/ip stack. You had to install a third party stack (Trumpet Winsock was the most popular, from memory). I believe a functional tcp/ip stack came with Win95b though. I think it was Win95c that included the fat32 file system to support > 512 MB hard drives. |
| Ridcully Jan 06, 2016 5:04 PM EDT |
> I still remember the difficulties in getting Win98SE onto the net I don't. You were lucky notbob. I had to work things out for myself, I had little help and an erratic telephone line with dial-in. At this distance in time my memories are not that it DID work quite well once it was finally set up, but that it was a cow of a job to get there. Experiences vary of course, and moving from a "stand alone isolate" to a "connected participant" was a nerve racking experience for me....at the time. Now......Oh, just plug it in and leave it to the computer. I'm spoilt. |
| cybertao Jan 06, 2016 5:14 PM EDT |
It was really easy to get to online when XP came out...and a virus within 20 minutes because it didn't have a firewall. |
| CFWhitman Jan 06, 2016 5:45 PM EDT |
I remember reading about installing Winsock for Windows 3.1, but I didn't have the extra money for a dial-up connection at the time, and so I never tried to get it working. I went from Windows 3.1 to Windows 98 SE the same time as I got a dial-up connection. I never had an issue connecting with it. By that time, though, I had learned about Linux and had started experimenting with it, which led me to using it full-time eventually. I purchased a Windows 2000 installation, but I never actually went to XP (though I have run a VM with XP). I finally broke down and bought a Windows 8 installation during the $60 promotional period, just to have if I needed it. I didn't install it for about a year (a little more, actually). Finally, I installed it on a secondary drive I had so that my brother could play a game that didn't work right with wine. Of course, I've used Windows 7 and Windows XP a good deal at work. I have VMs of both those systems on my Linux desktop at work now, and the Windows 7 one is always running, just so I don't have to wait for it to startup when I need it (I finally have enough RAM where I feel comfortable starting the Windows XP VM while the Windows 7 one is still running). I also have a Windows 10 installation on a Surface at work, but I've barely touched it yet. I just need to have it for testing software on Windows 10. I know that I'm a not a typical user, but to me at this point Windows always feels sluggish and restricted. The Linux boxes I have given to non-technical people get used, and I am still surprised by the lack of calls for help. One of my brothers who has a laptop he asked me to convert to Linux, and has very little interest in the nuts and bolts of his operating system, loves the result. He'll sometimes talk about how great the laptop's been for him to family and friends. I'm somewhat at a loss to understand the people who feel that Linux needs all sorts of extra work and attention. To me the opposite seems closer to the truth. In Linux, doing some things might require a little more setup and configuration time, but afterward, they will just run. |
| Ridcully Jan 07, 2016 5:32 PM EDT |
http://www.zdnet.com/article/how-to-block-windows-10-upgrade... The above url turned up in my emails as an interesting news clip. To my knowledge, Ed Bott is one of the most "fervant supporters" of Microsoft and Windows on the net so if even he is telling his readers how to block Win10, then something approaching real anger must be appearing amongst Windows users as Microsoft tries to force them to use what is now being seen by many as "Win10 spyware". Bott seems to be pretty sure this is a rock solid method of blocking the Win10 takeover. His procedure looks pretty simple although it requires two moderately easy edits of the registry.......however his article is virtually a tutorial on how you do it. I thought LXer readers who use both Linux and Win7 could be interested. |
| DrGeoffrey Jan 07, 2016 6:55 PM EDT |
Hmmmm, time to make some popcorn. |
| Ridcully Jan 07, 2016 7:48 PM EDT |
DrGeoffrey.....absolutely no offence intended, but could you translate your meaning for me please ? The popcorn phrase don't mean nuttin' to this antique Australian. Or is it the idea that you "just intend to sit back and be entertained by this latest Microsoft gaffe" ?? |
| DrGeoffrey Jan 07, 2016 10:09 PM EDT |
Ridcully - You've guessed correctly. And, my apologies for not being clear. Sourcasm in the written word is always difficult to convey, even when people are speaking close to the same language. |
| Ridcully Jan 07, 2016 11:57 PM EDT |
Thanks DrGeoffrey......Actually, (hangs head in shame) it was my wife who guessed the meaning because I was discussing the phrase with her, so all kudos to her. However and whichever, your popcorn text is the most delicious bit of satire and sarcasm.....and as a follow-up, I'd actually like to copyright the phrase: "Only Redmond could produce such circus level foolery.", but that would deny others the pleasure of using it. Personally, I am still marvelling the fact that such a dedicated "Windows Fanatic" as Ed Bott would actually produce an article running counter to his idol's intentions......Amazing really. PS....And you are quite right......Idiom is very, VERY hard to bring across the borders of even English speaking countries. A very dear minister friend of ours (long passed away, but he conducted the marriage service for Dot and I), loved to tell the story of how he spoke to an American congregation about the Bush Ministry he had conducted for many years here in Australia. (A Bush Ministry can cover many hundreds of miles in both distance and roads and keeps in touch with all the cattle stations out in the "Never-never" - and that is a general term for the huge unmapped areas that once existed in Australia - but the phrase is still used). During his sermon, he made this statement and I quote: "It is nothing for people in parts of our far flung ministry to see their parson outback in a pair of shorts." There were shocked intakes of breath. Now to us Ozzies, "outback" is anywhere in the far flung reaches of the Australian countryside far from civilization; and a pair of shorts is simply a reference to normal male attire of outer garments that extend down the legs about or a little above knee level. However his American congregation translated the sentence as: "It is nothing for people in our far flung ministry to see their parson going to the outdoor toilet in a pair of underpants." LOL. He dined out on that story quite a lot.......a very dear man. |
| jdixon Jan 08, 2016 7:00 AM EDT |
Ridcully, popcorn is a traditional treat at movies theaters in the US. So you can see how the phrase derived. |
| Ridcully Jan 08, 2016 7:11 AM EDT |
Oh for sure, jdixon, and here in our theatres too.....and no problems. I recall having bought the stuff many, many years ago when watching Star Wars for the first time. I had just never hit the phrase exactly as DrGeoffrey used it. It makes perfect sense.......consider my misunderstanding due to galloping senility. LOL. |
| gary_newell Jan 08, 2016 7:11 PM EDT |
Yesterday I needed to print out a contract and sign it, scan it back in and email it to my agent for my next job. I have an Epson WF2630 which is a wireless printer. As the document was in docx format I used Windows 10 and attempted to print via Office 365. Should be simple enough, shouldn't it, because Windows just works after all. Not a chance. Error after error such as "your printer needs attention". My printer did not need attention. I ended up using my Android phone to print the document and scanned it back in using my phone as well. It strikes me that the operating system with the best hardware support is now Android. It connects to my printer, my NAS drive, Chromecast etc without a fuss |
| penguinist Jan 08, 2016 7:20 PM EDT |
Did you try opening that docx document with LibreOffice? I've had fairly good results working with the docx files that people send to me. I usually reply with my response in pdf form. That seems to be the modern day universal multi-platform format. |
| mbaehrlxer Jan 08, 2016 11:46 PM EDT |
hah, last week i had to print something for my bank, and, you guessed it, the bank software only works on windows, but having no printer i needed to get a pdf printer instead, which of course does not come by default, and the one i found would then time out all afternoon in the installer trying to download ghostprint and some other tools. after finally getting it to work, i realized i could have tried setting up a linux pdf printer instead, and set windows up to print remote. with the pdf, then i have to walk to the nearest print shop, and if i have to scan stuff back i take a photo of it with my DSLR... for docx i also first try libreoffice, especially if i just have to print and don't need to send back a modified version of the document, since then all i need to check that it looks right, and not worry about libreoffice producing something that microsofts tools can't process. greetings, eMBee. |
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