Posted on 09/07/2005 12:00:32 PM PDT by Ernest_at_the_Beach
By Will Smith
When I reviewed Windows XP, way back in October 2001, I declared it the best Windows yet, awarding it a perfect score of 10 and the coveted Kick Ass award. Oh how times have changed!
After four short years, the sparkling luxury sedan of an operating system that was Windows past has been replaced by an unserviceable hulk of an OS thats one bad app away from a parking spot on cinderblocks behind KFC. Windows is in sad shape, and it needs a lot more than a Service Pack and a few nag screens to fix the problem.
Windows users have lost control of their computers. Whatever you call it, the situation with spyware, viruses, worms, and Trojans is destroying users confidence in their computers. When unexpected things happenand believe me, they dovictims just assume thats the way things have to be. You shouldnt have to live with pop-ups, an ever-changing home page, painful slowdowns, or any of the other nasty side-effects of computing today.
This isnt a problem that affects only grandparents and technophobes. Maximum PC editors have had spyware infestations on their machines. Virus and worm outbreaks plague everyone, whether they cause lost downtime, destroy your data, or just create a deluge of spam hawking mortgages and generic Viagra. Sure, Microsoft is making some sweeping changes in Windows Vista that should help, right?
Not really. The fixes in Vista wont do anything to help the hundreds of millions of people using Windows XP right now. Service Pack 2s Firewall and Security Center helped slow the unchecked spread of viruses and worms, but the spyware problem is worse than ever. Why in the hell should Microsoft expect users to pay to upgrade to Windows Vista when Windows XP has caused them nothing but trouble? Why should I shell out my hard-earned dollars to get a fix for the underlying flaws in its OS?
Before Im going to recommend that anyone spend money on Windows Vista, I want to see fixes to Windows XP. Show me you can make XP work, protect it from evil-doing applications that install 16 other even-worse applications that send my credit card information to Russian hackers. Give me a solution that helps me right now and Ill think about upgrading to Vista at the end of next year.
Im still really excited about Vista. I have high hopes that Microsoft will deliver an innovative new operating system that takes full advantage of the resources modern hardware has to offer, and that will protect my machine. But I want to see Windows XP fixed first.
Will Smith
Posted on Aug 25, 2005 at 10:25 PM | E-mail this entry
This guy must have a pair of brass ones....
BUT he is absolutely on target!
Maybe I'm lucky, but my XP Home Edition is the most stable, reliable and useful version of Windows I've ever owned ... and I've been at this PC stuff for 20 years. Security is a concern, sure, but taking precautions (firewall, anti-spyware, anti-virus) seems to keep things secure.
I am running Fedora Core 4 and I am using what they supply for Internet browsing....
I keep my XP machines off the Internet as much as possible,,,,,
I spend NO TIME or MONEY for Security precautions!
Fedora has a built in Firewall!
Microsoft will assure that Vista is accepted by its usual tactic: you want an operating system with that new computer? Then take this copy of Vista and shut up.
Maximum PC editors have had spyware infestations on their machines.
Q: What's the difference between a tech writer and a used car salesman?
A: The used car salesman knows when he's lying to you.
LOL!!
Wonder if he will be there next month!
These types blame Microsoft and/or Windows like liberals blame Bush.
Evacuate immediately.
Maybe the people at this dude's office should quit looking up porn four hours a day.
Linux is still free.
I use Firefox Mozilla for Internet surfin'. It seems to work OK, but it crashes a lot on pop-up heavy sights like National Review Online and sometimes Drudge. Other than that it works fine. I might need to try Fedora ...
From XP's beginning, I was underwhelmed. I still think that Windows 2000 was the best Windows to date (although I liked how NT 4 was so customizable that I could lock it down tighter than Ft. Knox.).
To this date, there is still no "there" there with XP, in my opinion. XP Pro came with this box, so that's what I'm using for now.
Vista is going to be interesting, and I can't wait to see how secure by default it's going to be.
We shall see.
If you want a Google GMail account, FReepmail me.
Democrats are demanding why President Bush too so long in sending aid to fix Windows XP.
Jesse Jackson is now comparing Windows XP to a slave ship where MS executives are the slave masters.
FEMA is now handing out $2000 debit cards to purchase new computers with MS Vista OS installed.
The horror...the horror. Luv's me linux.
One precaution that has served me well, but no one seems to pay attention to: Don't download and install every piece of cr@p program you find on the internet.
Where do you want to go today?
http://www.msboycott.com/media/microsoft_ad_office_bra.mov
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