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Why Does Windows Still Suck? Why do PC users put up with so many viruses and worms?...
San Francisco Chronicle ^ | 2/4/5 | Mark Morford

Posted on 02/04/2005 7:54:13 AM PST by SmithL

So about a year ago, the SO finally upgraded her Net connection to DSL, carefully installed the Yahoo! DSL software into her creaky Sony Vaio PC laptop and ran through all the checks and install verifications and appropriate nasty disclaimers.

And all seemed to go smoothly and reasonably enough considering it was a Windows PC and therefore nothing was really all that smooth or reasonable or elegant, but whatever. She just wanted to get online. Should be easy as 1-2-3, claimed the Yahoo! guide. Painless as tying your shoe, said the phone company.

She got online all right. The DSL worked great. For about four minutes.

Then, something happened. Something attacked. Something swarmed her computer the instant she tried to move around online and the computer slowed and bogged and cluttered and crashed, and multiple restarts and debuggings and what-the-hells only brought up only a flood of nightmarish pop-up windows and terrifying error messages and massive system slowdowns and all manner of inexplicable claims of infestation of this worm and that Trojan horse and did we want to buy McAfee AntiVirus protection for $39.95?

Four minutes. And she was already DOA.

My SO, she is not alone. This exact same scenario, with only slight variation, is happening throughout the nation, right now. Are you using a PC? You probably have spyware. The McAfee site claims a whopping 91 percent of PCs are infected. As every Windows user knows, PCs are ever waging a losing battle with a stunningly vicious array of malware and worms and viruses, all aimed at exploiting one of about ten thousand security flaws and holes in Microsoft Windows.

Here, then, is my big obvious question: Why the hell do people put up with this? Why is there not some massive revolt, some huge insurrection against Microsoft?

(Excerpt) Read more at sfgate.com ...


TOPICS: Business/Economy; Culture/Society; News/Current Events; US: California; US: Illinois; US: Wisconsin
KEYWORDS: computer; markie; morfordite; sandinvagina; thebearsstillsucktoo; whydogaysstillsuck; whydokookssuck
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Morfordite Alert!

Hmmmmm, no mention of Bush at all, this time. Actually, PC viruses are not the ones Markie needs to worry about.

1 posted on 02/04/2005 7:54:13 AM PST by SmithL
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To: SmithL

You think Windows sucks, try using Lotus Notes as your email client. That really really sucks!


2 posted on 02/04/2005 7:55:13 AM PST by Shortwave (Supporting Bush was a duty one owed to the fallen. Now, it is an honor.)
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To: SmithL
SO IS a woman?? There go all the gay Mark Morford jokes!

Denny Crane: "There are two places to find the truth. First God and then Fox News."

3 posted on 02/04/2005 7:55:41 AM PST by goldstategop (In Memory Of A Dearly Beloved Friend Who Lives On In My Heart Forever)
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To: SmithL

Duck and cover.. Here come the mac ppl.


4 posted on 02/04/2005 7:55:44 AM PST by scab4faa (Holy crap! I didn't sign on for this!)
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To: Shortwave

"try using Lotus Notes as your email client. That really really sucks!"


Hear, here! Blowtus Notes is the worst email client ever written!


5 posted on 02/04/2005 7:57:36 AM PST by Blzbba (Don't hate the player - hate the game!)
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To: SmithL

Why do people blame Windows? If they had half a brain, they would learn how to protect against viruses, browser hijackers and spyware. Most people don't even update their files, so they get what they deserve. They also don't know about alternatives to Windows, Internet Explorer or Outlook/Outlook Express because they are lazy.


6 posted on 02/04/2005 7:57:41 AM PST by TommyDale
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To: scab4faa; SmithL

scab4faa wrote:


Duck and cover.. Here come the mac ppl.





LOL!

Mac person here!

I just got a very fancy new G5 for my family. It rocks.


7 posted on 02/04/2005 7:57:58 AM PST by tiamat (Some days, it's not even worth chewing through the restraints.)
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To: SmithL

Second mistake was in trying to load Yahoo SBC software. No need for it when using XP.


8 posted on 02/04/2005 7:58:12 AM PST by boxerblues
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To: SmithL

LOL, dunno why, I'm using a linux machine,


9 posted on 02/04/2005 7:58:26 AM PST by television is just wrong (Our sympathies are misguided with illegal aliens...)
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To: goldstategop
SO IS a woman??

This isn't the first time he's tried to spread that rumor. His writings don't support his assertions.

10 posted on 02/04/2005 7:58:36 AM PST by SmithL (Whiskey Tango Foxtrot?)
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To: SmithL

Sounds like "she" has a porn-surfing husband.


11 posted on 02/04/2005 7:59:06 AM PST by Zipadeedodah
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To: SmithL

We are stuck with Windows OS because accountants do not press for Peachtree and some others, to be on the Mac and Linux.


12 posted on 02/04/2005 7:59:08 AM PST by First_Salute (May God save our democratic-republican government, from a government by judiciary.)
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To: goldstategop

Don't despair!

Even if the SO is female, we can make "Meterosexual" jokes!


13 posted on 02/04/2005 7:59:29 AM PST by tiamat (Some days, it's not even worth chewing through the restraints.)
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To: SmithL
I love XP. Never had a virus spyware or malware(86 IE and use Firefox)or any problems for that matter. Much better architecture than Win98. JMO
14 posted on 02/04/2005 7:59:39 AM PST by mlbford2 ("Never wrestle with a pig; you can't win, you just get filthy, and the pig loves it...")
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Comment #15 Removed by Moderator

To: SmithL

Please put "Morfordn alert" in the title. I try to avoid the idiot like the plague. arggggh!


16 posted on 02/04/2005 8:00:04 AM PST by monday
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To: SmithL
Hmmmmm, no mention of Bush at all, this time.

You mean she didn't blame Bush for the computer problems?

17 posted on 02/04/2005 8:00:12 AM PST by mhking (Do not mess with dragons, for thou art crunchy & good with ketchup...)
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To: SmithL
Despite the EULA that is built like a fortress and Corporate practices that make Genghis Khan look like a choirboy, Microsoft is fast nearing the end of the time when they can foist obviously flawed and architecturally creaky software on a captive market (As this article evidences).

In a just world, Microsoft would have had their A$$es sued of and been required to move aside and let innovation and competition exist. In the 'Real World' they have taken their initial advantage and turned it into a Dictatorship of the Marketplace. Fortunately, the dike is springing a few leaks and MS may not have enough fingers to plug them all.

18 posted on 02/04/2005 8:00:31 AM PST by drt1
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To: SmithL

I'm still running a 2000 Dell PIII w/Win98, I run Norton AV plus the Norton (formerly AT Guard) firewall, and I run several anti-spyware programs on a regular basis. I dropped Internet Exploder and I'm generally happy with Firefox.

It sounds like whoever the 'SO' is, hooked up to DSL without a firewall which is like driving through Harlem at midnight waving a wad of bills around.


19 posted on 02/04/2005 8:01:33 AM PST by Mad Mammoth
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To: goldstategop
SO IS a woman?? There go all the gay Mark Morford jokes!

Don't be so hasty...just because Mark calls her a "she" doesn't mean she has "she" parts.

He may still be correct in every sense other than the biological one, however.

20 posted on 02/04/2005 8:02:00 AM PST by Oberon (What does it take to make government shrink?)
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