Because Shiny Things Are Fun - The New New Windows v Linux Thread

Originally Posted by lupusarcanus Thanks Kenny. I applied for one and am hoping Good old Google sends me it. EDIT: I applied like a week ago.

Well from my experience, that's nowhere near enough time. As you have seen, it took mine 2.5 months to come.

Personally I doubt very much if I would buy one of these chrome netbooks or for that matter not any of my friends. My train of thoughts is they seem to be more like a cloud book. Correct me if I'm wrong but they do have a smaller HDD than an ipod (8GB)? So if you want to keep anything it would have to be put directly onto an external HDD or thumb drive. Never mind adding apps because there is no room left LOL. I would be more inclined to go to Walmart and buy an emachines laptop with windoze 7 for about the same price (and get a DVD burner built in). Don't get me wrong as in my home we don't have windoze but I'm just giving a comparison to think about.

Originally Posted by Kenny_Strawn Even on smartphones, you still need to boot a (sometimes bloated) OS and then launch a (sometimes bloated) browser. Think of Chrome OS devices as to the Web as TVs are to cable. How would someone like it if they had to boot their television and THEN launch a "TV browser" just to watch TV? It would be a waste of time. The same thing should be with a computer and the Internet: Users, especially those who live on the Web, don't like having to wait several minutes for their computer to boot AND THEN launch a browser just to browse the Web. They want the Web and they want it now.

Um... I do this...
(Edit)
... and I guess you dont remember when TVs had TUBES and took a full minute (or MORE) to start up.


Seriously. My TV is an XP box and 19" LCD screen... with built-in DVD!

Getting ready to reverse the process however...

(Get a 32"-or-so LCD TV that will allow attachment of the computer...)

Originally Posted by justboo2u Um... I do this... (Edit) ... and I guess you dont remember when TVs had TUBES and took a full minute (or MORE) to start up. Seriously. My TV is an XP box and 19" LCD screen... with built-in DVD! Getting ready to reverse the process however... (Get a 32"-or-so LCD TV that will allow attachment of the computer...)

Yup I certainly do remember those days...along with Saturday serials at the movie theater, but we've got to remember Kenny's just a young pup. He grew up long after the antennae disappeared (he thinks cable was around forever)and that Rap was invented by some clown named MC hammer LOL

Originally Posted by SigTerm I'm aware of that. Despite everything you said, I don't see why Chrome OS is supposed to turn the tables. IMO: It definitely looks like a niche application - aimed at a small cluster of users that "live on the web" and waste their life in social networks. It doesn't offer anything special that would attract people - no "killer app". It doesn't offer anything that would attract me - no new dev tools I'd be interested in. It also doesn't contribute to creation of "ideal operating system". Definitely looks like hardware device with main purpose of being a browser. The price of notebook is unknown, and hardware specs are also unknown (while CR-48 doesn't even have a DVD player). In contrast it has quite a few things I dislike: It is web-oriented, its existence contributes to attempts to make software into web-apps (I prefer when my data and software is located on device within arm's reach from me, using software via the web would make sense only if I were interfacing some kind of supercomputer to perform task that is far beyond my machine's abilities), it is based on ubuntu, and its' browser is GTK based, and according to you it is supposed to be funded by Advertising (the first thing people will do is making a Chrome fork with all ads disabled, which will probably make google upset). I.e. chrome operating system doesn't promote/use ideas I like, it promotes and uses ideas I dislike, it won't improve linux, It is oriented toward completely alien user group ("live on the web"? After spending too much time with computers I definitely prefer offline face-to-face interactions (too much is missing online), and I already know that majority of the internet isn't really different from yellow press), and it offers nothing exceptional. Also, I don't see a massive advertising chrome OS campaign being launched, which might be a sign of screwup. There is no certain data about notebook release date, no certain data about price, etc. Of course, some people will buy chrome notebook (somebody always buy new product, no matter what is it), and gadget geeks will get a new toy, but in the long run most likely it will change nothing - it doesn't offer anything that isn't present on any major platform at the moment. As a result of this, my attitude towards OS will be mildly negative. I certainly have no reason to believe that chrome will be successful, I have no reason to think it'll change anything, and no reason to support the system or recommend it. I, however, have a few reasons to tell people to avoid the systems. The whole debate was a tremendous waste of time with very little payoff, so the discussion is over.

Very good points! Based on what you said, I think if anything, Chrome would turn people OFF of Linux (if Chrome were their only encounter with Linux) and back to Win-D'ohs!

Originally Posted by tiredofbilkyyaforallican Yup I certainly do remember those days...along with Saturday serials at the movie theater, but we've got to remember Kenny's just a young pup. He grew up long after the antennae disappeared (he thinks cable was around forever)and that Rap was invented by some clown named MC hammer LOL

No, I am aware of the antenna TVs that were around back then, because my parents are from that time. And I don't even listen to MC Hammer! Maybe Miley Cyrus, Lady Gaga, Akon, Taio Cruz, the Jonas Brothers... but *not* MC Hammer.

Originally Posted by Kenny_Strawn No, I am aware of the antenna TVs that were around back then, because my parents are from that time. And I don't even listen to MC Hammer! Maybe Miley Cyrus, Lady Gaga, Akon, Taio Cruz, the Jonas Brothers... but *not* MC Hammer.

Eh...well I guess musical taste isn't something one can argue about but...I wish the youtube generation would listen to less brain-rot Disney music.

Originally Posted by easuter Eh...well I guess musical taste isn't something one can argue about but...I wish the youtube generation would listen to less brain-rot Disney music.

That's not all Disney music. Miley Cyrus and the Jonas Brothers are, but the rest of them on that list aren't.

Originally Posted by Kenny_Strawn That's not all Disney music. Miley Cyrus and the Jonas Brothers are, but the rest of them on that list aren't.

Implying that kissfm doesn't play manufactured pop anyways, regardless if it is disney manufactured or not.

Still crap. And yes it is still manufactured industry pop.

because my parents are from that time

I am not jumping in on this discussion but I just wanted to say... "That time..."

I remember when I was a child, it really wasn't that long ago. I mean granted. The height of technology for the "average folk" was:

* Light Bright (Hours of fun plugging clear plastic pegs into a black board full of holes with a light bulb in it.)

* Etch a sketch (Even more hours of fun spinning dials and creating large doodles that one could shake away.)

* Stretch Arm Strong, then his cousin that was a lizard thing (Forget that ones name,) Hours of fun stretching their arms and legs then watching them go back into place, just to stretch them again. (Big Bonus. First ones ended up being toxic. Until that point I thought the extra arms and eyes we where all getting was normal.)

*Finally, there was Atari.... (Before that Pong, a game with bouncing dots and moving lines (hours of fun.) Some of the Atari games where great. Others however... (Raiders of the Lost Ark is one I still have nightmares about. Don't think there was a way to win it. Just going in circles over and over. Up, down drop, die... Do it all again.)

Then we had TV's with antennas (And no remotes, actual dials you had to get off the couch to change.) Rabbit ears or broken rabbit ears with metal hangers or aluminium foil at the end. VHF usually came in well, UHF (Before FOX and while it was a new channel,) was always the worst.

Now with over the air TV having to be digital, law in the USA, antennas like that are making a come back.

Ok.... Done with my trip down memory lane. Everyone, please continue.

Originally Posted by Amdx2_x64 I am not jumping in on this discussion but I just wanted to say... "That time..." I remember when I was a child, it really wasn't that long ago. I mean granted. The height of technology for the "average folk" was: * Light Bright (Hours of fun plugging clear plastic pegs into a black board full of holes with a light bulb in it.) * Etch a sketch (Even more hours of fun spinning dials and creating large doodles that one could shake away.) * Stretch Arm Strong, then his cousin that was a lizard thing (Forget that ones name,) Hours of fun stretching their arms and legs then watching them go back into place, just to stretch them again. (Big Bonus. First ones ended up being toxic. Until that point I thought the extra arms and eyes we where all getting was normal.) *Finally, there was Atari.... (Before that Pong, a game with bouncing dots and moving lines (hours of fun.) Some of the Atari games where great. Others however... (Raiders of the Lost Ark is one I still have nightmares about. Don't think there was a way to win it. Just going in circles over and over. Up, down drop, die... Do it all again.) Then we had TV's with antennas (And no remotes, actual dials you had to get off the couch to change.) Rabbit ears or broken rabbit ears with metal hangers or aluminium foil at the end. VHF usually came in well, UHF (Before FOX and while it was a new channel,) was always the worst. Now with over the air TV having to be digital, law in the USA, antennas like that are making a come back. Ok.... Done with my trip down memory lane. Everyone, please continue.

My only TV is still an old 25" CRT (Cathode Ray Tube) job (I only watch DVDs- no broadcast or cable TV- so the digital thing isn't an issue for me)

Ahhh...the memories! When kids actually played...often outdoors...using their imaginations (which really promoted learning and thinking, while keeping us physically fit)- now life has come down to sitting in front of a screen.....

And I miss typewriters! (The old manual ones)

And it seemed so much faster when the cashier in the grocery store just punched in the sticker price of your items on the old cash register...as opposed to scanning everything.

When any idjit could fix his own car because it wasn't computer-controlled, and there was room under the hood to actually work! (How come my 1983 Chevy Chevette gets 35MPG and can COMFORTABLY seat 4 adults with room for cargo...and the new cars can't do that?)

Ahhh...the memories! When kids actually played...often outdoors...using their imaginations (which really promoted learning and thinking, while keeping us physically fit)- now life has come down to sitting in front of a screen.....

Outdoors? Wait, is that the real world virtual reality thing with bad graphics and no environmental controls like heat or air conditioning? As far as exercise goes, let me just say one word (is it really a word? How sad, lol,) WII... These days you have to download your imagination. I think Google has an App for one, maybe it was Apple.

And I miss typewriters! (The old manual ones)

I would love to get my hands on an old manual typewriter. I use to have a few at one time. Where you had to actually press down on the keys with some effort, (compared to computer keyboards.) The days when spell checks consisted of a real dictionary, (For the younger ones they where those big things with paper pages) and either retyping it all or using white out if you messed up.

And it seemed so much faster when the cashier in the grocery store just punched in the sticker price of your items on the old cash register...as opposed to scanning everything.

It also gave them something to do. Cashiers now look inches away from going postal from the boredom.

When any idjit could fix his own car because it wasn't computer-controlled, and there was room under the hood to actually work! (How come my 1983 Chevy Chevette gets 35MPG and can COMFORTABLY seat 4 adults with room for cargo...and the new cars can't do that?)

I love computers. Not really crazy about them in cars. Haha.... Just had a memory about the old cars that had air heat in the front AND back. Took an hour to warm the car up.

Edit: An after thought... Do cars run on Windows now? That would really explain a lot with some models ;-)

Originally Posted by Sumguy My only TV is still an old 25" CRT (Cathode Ray Tube) job (I only watch DVDs- no broadcast or cable TV- so the digital thing isn't an issue for me) Ahhh...the memories! When kids actually played...often outdoors...using their imaginations (which really promoted learning and thinking, while keeping us physically fit)- now life has come down to sitting in front of a screen..... And I miss typewriters! (The old manual ones) And it seemed so much faster when the cashier in the grocery store just punched in the sticker price of your items on the old cash register...as opposed to scanning everything. When any idjit could fix his own car because it wasn't computer-controlled, and there was room under the hood to actually work! (How come my 1983 Chevy Chevette gets 35MPG and can COMFORTABLY seat 4 adults with room for cargo...and the new cars can't do that?)

First of all, if you get a new hybrid car, you can easily have upwards of 50 MPG. Secondly, teens at my school *still* play sports, like basketball, water polo (which I do have friends on my school's [awesome] water polo team), football, and tennis (which I have become [somewhat] good at). And even those who don't play still go to watch the (sometimes awesome) games. Thirdly, sure typewriters were fairly easy to use, but they also were not too user-friendly (have you ever tried instant-messaging or browsing the Web on a typewriter? LOL!) and also required ink refills more often than today's printers (I could be wrong with this one, but didn't the constant printing on paper hog ink, and didn't typewriters have smaller ink cartridges?). Fourth, would you rather just swipe a laser across a barcode than have to type the price out (and then with the possibility of typos)? Sure, typing may have been faster, but scanning is more precise (albeit with extra input from the buyer). And then, there's the argument that scanners are present throughout the store, so all the user has to do is take the item to a support-column scanning station and scan it that way...

Originally Posted by Amdx2_x64 I am not jumping in on this discussion but I just wanted to say... "That time..." I remember when I was a child, it really wasn't that long ago. I mean granted. The height of technology for the "average folk" was: * Light Bright (Hours of fun plugging clear plastic pegs into a black board full of holes with a light bulb in it.) * Etch a sketch (Even more hours of fun spinning dials and creating large doodles that one could shake away.) * Stretch Arm Strong, then his cousin that was a lizard thing (Forget that ones name,) Hours of fun stretching their arms and legs then watching them go back into place, just to stretch them again. (Big Bonus. First ones ended up being toxic. Until that point I thought the extra arms and eyes we where all getting was normal.) *Finally, there was Atari.... (Before that Pong, a game with bouncing dots and moving lines (hours of fun.) Some of the Atari games where great. Others however... (Raiders of the Lost Ark is one I still have nightmares about. Don't think there was a way to win it. Just going in circles over and over. Up, down drop, die... Do it all again.) Then we had TV's with antennas (And no remotes, actual dials you had to get off the couch to change.) Rabbit ears or broken rabbit ears with metal hangers or aluminium foil at the end. VHF usually came in well, UHF (Before FOX and while it was a new channel,) was always the worst. Now with over the air TV having to be digital, law in the USA, antennas like that are making a come back. Ok.... Done with my trip down memory lane. Everyone, please continue.

My TV is still an old CRT that takes a good 30 seconds to "boot" before showing an image, aside from the time it takes for the cable box to start and change channels

Originally Posted by Sumguy When any idjit could fix his own car because it wasn't computer-controlled, and there was room under the hood to actually work! (How come my 1983 Chevy Chevette gets 35MPG and can COMFORTABLY seat 4 adults with room for cargo...and the new cars can't do that?)

Still change my car's oil and filters when necessary :P
BTW a 1.4L commonrail diesel engine gets me about 50 MPG and it isn't a hybrid. Driving calmly and having an efficient japanese engine makes the tank last about 6 weeks (pretty good since fuel is expensive as hell in my country).


Hmmm...wonder what a hybrid commonrail engine would get me in terms of mileage...