Vista spyware may give filip to Linux and OS X

iTWire ^ | 08OCT06 | Stan Beer

[JCEccles]

What other flavors of Linux do people suggest?

Novell's SUSE Linux Enterprise 10 (SLED 10).

It is really a tight and well thought-out distro. I have it on several machines now and I am ecstatic with it.

I am constantly having to tweak and prod my Windows XP machines to keep them going and on task--particularly with security updates and related patches. But I never realized how much babysitting my Windows XP machines require until I installed SLED 10 on some machines.

Unlike the Windows XP machines, the SLED 10 machines are rock solid and completely self-sufficient. They never complain, never make demands. They just do perfectly and efficiently exactly what they've been asked to do, first time, every time, around the clock.

[Hazcat]

Every OS Sucks!

http://www.deadtroll.com/index2.html?/video/ossuckscable.html~content

[MichiganMan]

In some cases, users who have activated a legitimate copy of Vista may need to do a number of reinstalls because they have suffered a hardware failure or their system isn't running well. Hopefully, Microsoft will be able to differentiate between that and users installing a single copy of Vista on multiple computers.

Ok, I'm a full on Linux convert, and wouldn't consider putting MS software back on my machine precisely because of their registration and DRM shenanigans (oh, and hello? Sony root kit?) but this part right here is pure FUD. The registration relies upon a hash that is produced from the PC's particular hardware. And its tolerances allows a certain amount of upgrading, ie. the video card, while major upgrades such as the mother board do indeed require a call to MS to beg permission again. But a simple re-install of the OS, even multiple times, is a non-event. XP's exhibited this behavior for years and I haven't read anything indicating that Vista will be more stringent on re-installs that don't involve hardware changes.

As far as consumers are concerned, unfortunately no Linux distribution has shown itself to be ready for prime time. Perhaps for them, the best option is to upgrade to an Apple Mac. Then they can run their Windows XP stuff in a virtual window using Parallels or in dual boot mode using Boot Camp, while also taking advantage of all the cool Mac applications that come with their system.

If the user is capable and willing to run vitualization software, then they are more than capable of successfully running Linux. The writer needs to revisit a modern Linux desktop distro if he doesn't think Linux and Linux applications are "ready for prime time"

[Vinnie]

I remember all the dire predictions concerning XP when it first hit the radar.
There were posts and articles about MS 'security' and shutting down machines because of pirated software, etc.
I refused to load it for some time, but I'm using it now and like it.

That said, I had decided some months ago that these were my last PCs.

I'm tired of having to run several (3) separate programs in the background plus several more I manually start in order to keep my computers clean.
If I leave my machines alone for 5 minutes, one or another 'anti' program starts scanning for one type of malware or another .
Sometimes they start while I'm in the middle of doing something. I have to drop what I'm doing to deal with it.

When you add up the extra money spent, the time involved, the inconvenience preventing some louse taking command of your computer, well, Apples look much more attractive.

I stopped by an Apple store in a local mall about a month ago.

Think when I upgrade, and it might be a year or two, I'm going to take the plunge.

[sittnick]

If Mr. Softee The Cash Cow decides to use spyware, you can bet there will be trial lawyers lined up around the block to sue the company six ways to Sunday.



Hey, Mister Softee is good stuff!

[upchuck]

BUMP to yer tag line!

[Gorzaloon]

Thanks..I just ran the demo and ordered Novell's SUSE Linux Enterprise 10 (SLED 10).

It appears to address some -minor- annoyances I had with Red Hat. I do run a business and have limited time for tweaking kernal updates, etc.

I must comment that because I have rules about what I allow to run, I have never, never had a crash with WinXP, but the "Genuine Advantage" and other surveillance "improvements" alienate me to the extent that I am ready to toss it. I run...lessee, three laptops and six desk boxes here. Change a drive, add RAM, etc, and then have to call Redmond and BEG to use a product I bought and paid for? Ha.

I am old-fashioned and do not like the doctrine that when I BUY something it is not my property, as implied in shrink-wrap contracts.

[ekwd]

Appleganda disguised as a critique of Microsoft. My Vista Beta activation was no different than the XP activation, which generated the same kind of paranoid speculation when it came out.

My concern is program compatibility.

[cyberdasher]

"Appleganda" - -

LOL

[rawcatslyentist]

>"XP, on the other hand, crashes on me at least once a month."

Dude, it's not XP, it's YOU.
XP crashed maybe half a dozen times on me in the past 5 years. Do you have adequate spyware protection, do you have a regularly scheduled AV & AS scan programed. It might be hardware related. Cerially, it's not that bad of an OS.

Now VISTA OTOH, sounds like a 3lb sack, holding 5lbs!

[RayChuang88]

I remember how loudly Microsoft touted Windows ME. I had it.

I've played with Windows Me and it was terrible with way too much stability problems. Windows 2000 Professional was VASTLY better with far more stable memory management and almost as good support for PC hardware.

[peyton randolph]

Do you have adequate spyware protection, do you have a regularly scheduled AV & AS scan programed. It might be hardware related. Cerially, it's not that bad of an OS.

---

All three machines have anti-spyware, firewalls, and anti-viruse software. Regularly scheduled clean-up. XP crashes. Win 2K doesn't. It is the OS...not the hardware.

[frithguild]

This thread shows alot of pre 911 mentality in our attitudes toward MSFT.

[antiRepublicrat]

And for those who want to avoid legal problems possible with the GPL/LGPL (Linux)

What legal problems?

[antiRepublicrat]

Mr. Softee is going to fully disclose the piracy monitoring in its OS licensing agreements...and the user has to accept as a condition of using the software. As long as there is full disclosure, the company will get away with it.

I'm waiting for more of these commercial licenses to get thrown out in court. It happened to Network Associates, which in its license prohibited even product reviews without permission.

[July 4th]

Agreed on that. I might have XP hang on me once a year. If someone's getting regular crashes from XP, it has little to nothing to do with some inherent OS problem.

My hope is that XP's widespread adoption keeps it as the OS standard for the next two or three years, while all of the crap on Vista is worked out and processor/RAM/video card requirements don't look so out of reach for those who want to do an upgrade.

[K-oneTexas]

Agreed, hopefully XP will stick around at least four years or so. Right now it's easier as it what the school system used (and we have one left in High School). After this graduation in 4 years ... Bill Gates out the door.

Although I wonder ... Bill Gates always seems to throw something into the current OS to bring it closer to the next OS to be sold. With that I'm wondering what MS will add as and update or security fix to XP/2000 before it drops support for them all together.

Have used one or another Linux package myself over the years, in dual boot or CD boot, and like them. Would be there full time but can not get the other family members to truly give more than the games a try. So ... I just bide my time.

[zeugma]

Uh, lots of apps are already developed for Linux. Not so much games, but then, my computer is not a toy.

[RichardW]

I've found XP to be about perfect. What's in it for me to upgrade to Vista except aggravation?

[RichardW]

"Agreed on that. I might have XP hang on me once a year. If someone's getting regular crashes from XP, it has little to nothing to do with some inherent OS problem."

It's almost certainly a hardware or other non OS problem. I've been running two Dells for three years now and I could count the number of crashes on one hand and have two or three fingers left over. It is nearly bulletproof.