It wasn't so long ago that I was hooked on Linux, but only for ideological/philosophical reasons. I read Richard Stallman's stuff and got really into this idea that everything should be free software. Actually, if you read his stuff closely enough, the word "free" isn't what most people think it means there--more like, free to do what you like, not free as in you don't pay for it. Kinda like saying a shovel is "free" because the people who made it won't show up at your doorstep and dictate the ways you can use it. That doesn't mean you can just steal it though.
Anyway, this business with Windows 8 does have me concerned. I'm not usually the first aboard a new platform anyway, so I'll probably do like I usually do and either wait until I get a new PC, or wait until (and if) the reviews are so positive that it seems foolish not to make the leap. The latter is the reason I upgraded my PC from Vista to Windows 7, a decision I in no way regret.
This situation does remind me, though, of the importance of keeping an old PC around for compatibility purposes. I will definitely keep my current PC unless it just absolutely flat-lines, since it has very convenient component outs that I can use to record video from games. It can run just about anything I throw at it. It might be a lot more comfortable just leaving this machine hooked up to my TV and recording video from it when the need arises.
As for the "signed key" or whatever business, that does suck. It's a classic case of a company doing what is good for itself at the expense of its customers. I'm less angry about that than the lies/spin in which they try to sell it as something GOOD for us. I *hate* being lied to. We all know this is utter bullshit, and the only people who would EVER request this "feature" is the corporate execs at Microsoft. As far as I'm concerned, in my naive way, is that Microsoft should only put features into their software that WE want. Make a solid product and we'll buy it, dummies! Make an inferior product and I guess you will have to try to lock us into it.
Maybe they want to avoid an XP/Vista situation where everybody wanted to stick to XP. I believe at one point the big companies (Dell) was charging extra if you asked for XP instead of Vista. It sounds like this will be a lot worse..."Oh, you must buy Windows 8. The machine won't run the obsolete operating system. Why would you want to when Windows 8 is the best operating system ever?" I'm gagging on the bullshit already.
All this said, though, the truth is that nobody is forced to buy Windows. It's only ignorance/greed/laziness that keeps people attached to their suck bottle. GNU/Linux is always there. Sure, it's not going to run everything, at least not without a lot of hassle, but it's one of those situations where the more people use it--and hopefully (probably stupid to think) support it with their donations/contributions--the better it gets.
But it's just not that way. Here I am on Firefox, a "free" browser. Yet what is everybody excited about? "Google Chrome." Because they just can't wait to run back to something controlled by a "trusted company." Uh, okay.
Nice article!
It wasn't so long ago that I was hooked on Linux, but only for ideological/philosophical reasons. I read Richard Stallman's stuff and got really into this idea that everything should be free software. Actually, if you read his stuff closely enough, the word "free" isn't what most people think it means there--more like, free to do what you like, not free as in you don't pay for it. Kinda like saying a shovel is "free" because the people who made it won't show up at your doorstep and dictate the ways you can use it. That doesn't mean you can just steal it though.
Anyway, this business with Windows 8 does have me concerned. I'm not usually the first aboard a new platform anyway, so I'll probably do like I usually do and either wait until I get a new PC, or wait until (and if) the reviews are so positive that it seems foolish not to make the leap. The latter is the reason I upgraded my PC from Vista to Windows 7, a decision I in no way regret.
This situation does remind me, though, of the importance of keeping an old PC around for compatibility purposes. I will definitely keep my current PC unless it just absolutely flat-lines, since it has very convenient component outs that I can use to record video from games. It can run just about anything I throw at it. It might be a lot more comfortable just leaving this machine hooked up to my TV and recording video from it when the need arises.
As for the "signed key" or whatever business, that does suck. It's a classic case of a company doing what is good for itself at the expense of its customers. I'm less angry about that than the lies/spin in which they try to sell it as something GOOD for us. I *hate* being lied to. We all know this is utter bullshit, and the only people who would EVER request this "feature" is the corporate execs at Microsoft. As far as I'm concerned, in my naive way, is that Microsoft should only put features into their software that WE want. Make a solid product and we'll buy it, dummies! Make an inferior product and I guess you will have to try to lock us into it.
Maybe they want to avoid an XP/Vista situation where everybody wanted to stick to XP. I believe at one point the big companies (Dell) was charging extra if you asked for XP instead of Vista. It sounds like this will be a lot worse..."Oh, you must buy Windows 8. The machine won't run the obsolete operating system. Why would you want to when Windows 8 is the best operating system ever?" I'm gagging on the bullshit already.
All this said, though, the truth is that nobody is forced to buy Windows. It's only ignorance/greed/laziness that keeps people attached to their suck bottle. GNU/Linux is always there. Sure, it's not going to run everything, at least not without a lot of hassle, but it's one of those situations where the more people use it--and hopefully (probably stupid to think) support it with their donations/contributions--the better it gets.
But it's just not that way. Here I am on Firefox, a "free" browser. Yet what is everybody excited about? "Google Chrome." Because they just can't wait to run back to something controlled by a "trusted company." Uh, okay.
Hey, the sheeple deserve what they get.