Posted on 02/12/2010 7:25:28 AM PST by hripka
I get SO tired of these OS wars. You know, some people use their computers to make a living.
I wish my engineering programs ran on Linux. They don't, so I have to have at least 1 Windows machine. Since I'm using my engineering programs on that machine, I might as well run email and a web browser, too. And as a matter of fact, I run Ubuntu in a virtual machine under Windows when I need to write Linux software for a client.
Can't we all agree that one size does NOT fit all?
For Windows, I'm not as familiar with a good program (perhaps someone can recommend one), so I'll include a lot of info that I've gathered through searching on Google (and you can do the same thing, too...). But, you don't need a specialized program, because you can do it yourself, although it would be nice to have a ready-made list for blocked sites, too (the next to the last link has a ready-made list of blocked sites).
A Wikipedia article about the Hosts file
Microsoft Support Pages...
Some general articles about it...
This has long been the case for many other major software companies. It surprises me that MS waited this long.
The operating system on Macintosh doesn't shut you down... :-) I've never heard of anyone having that problem on the Mac, if the Mac OS X is not registered to you. The Macintosh OS X does check for software updates, though.
But, if you wanted to, you could use the Hosts file on a Macintosh and stop all "phoning home" for either the operating system or the various applications you have.
I use Little Snitch on the Macintosh, and you can determine what goes out and whether you want it blocked all the time or some of the time...
Also, remember (on the Mac), your clock also checks for the right time, and updates automatically, and that goes back to Apple to do that. If you didn't want any checking of any sort, then you would need to stop your computer from updating with the right time (of course, your time would slide out of sync with the proper time, too... :-) ...).
And they won’t. . .if you don’t accept the agreement. Of course, then, you won’t have Windows. For those people, there’s Ubuntu Linux. . .
Why do people still use Windows ?
1. Games.
2. They’re locked in with a particular needed piece of software that’s Windows-only.
3. They don’t care.
Choose one or all. .
I agree that one size does not fit all.
But, in many cases, a basic computer user would be well-served by using Ubuntu or some other Linux.
This is because the usability gap between Linux and Windows is closing. My 60+ year old father uses Puppy Linux on an old, cheapo laptop I set up for him. He can word process, surf the net, share files with his Windows computer, print, etc. The whole setup is under $100. He’s the prototypical novice user.
That’s a 700 Mhz laptop with 128 mb of RAM. Windows XP would be HORRIBLE on that same machine.
But no, one size definitely doesn’t fit all.
Look, we hear you like Linux.
But we get enough ads blasted at us everyday.
I’m a windows user. I like the compatibility, and the customisibility. I want my system to feel like me.
I like that I don’t have to buy mac specific hardware and software. I can upgrade what I want when I want.
I like that the system isn’t a nanny that tells me how to do things, rather it’s a tool that allows me to do whatever I need to do.
I’m not particularly intimidated by the security demands. I like that the system teaches you to be responsible, and that I learn about how my system works in keeping it fixed.
Sure, I can get something that’s slick and new and not have a clue what’s under the hood, or I can get something that I can tinker and fix so that it works better.
Why MS? I like having a tool that says it can do stuff, rather then having to make compromises with ‘OS’ specific equipment. I want a can opener, not a key.
I know what I am talking about and the only why one can fight piracy is to take the content sown
-
we must use a service like Online Media protection
(http://om-p.com)
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