"Hollywood's voice -- and dollars -- carry more weight on Capitol Hill than ideological arguments about the best way to develop good, cheap software..."
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I just thought you might want to take a look :

http://www.businessweek.com/technolo...20515_8741.htm

I'm 25 years old and I've just recently joined the Linux move, (about 6 weeks ago actually), and I'm really pleased with it.
I grew up with microsoft as being the greatest thing ever, but I now see the light. When I started elementary school in the early eighties I remember using Apple computers with 5 1/4" floppy drives. This was great in helping me to learn. Then as time went on we progressed to dosshell, then windows 3.1, etc.,etc.,etc. Back to the reason I'm writing this post it outrages me that the entertainment industry wants to control what we see hear and do and how we acheive this. I had heard alot about Linux and have been curious for some time now but I had reservations about trying something new. I had an old pent. 166Mhz with Win 95 on it that was collecting dust in the corner so I downloaded Vector Linux 1.8 and started learning immediately, I wish I had done this years ago. Now I'm not one to say Microsoft is evil (as i'm currently using a Win98 mach. to download files and construct my Linux box), but this anti piracy is going to get out of hand unless WE take a stand. I'm not advocating the stealing of copyrighted media but I don't want to live in a world were there is only one Operating System or one brand name TV set or computer. Is this the world you want your kids to grow up in?
I'm not putting down anyone or their beliefs I feel that everyone should be able to decide what they like based on their own individual ideas, Isn't that kinda what Linux is about? Everyone sharing their ideas and building a great OS that isn't to difficult to learn. I agree that the entertainment industry does need to protect WHAT THEY OWN but leave us (the Linux family) alone.
I don't know where to start but we have to start somewhere. I am a newbie and I want to continue to be able to learn and hopefully The next generation and the next and the next and so forth can continue to learn and grow.

So in closing ask your self this question Do you want some complete stranger telling you and your family what you can and can't do?

Goodbye for now and thanks for all the help,
Bubba169

this isn't seriously going to turn into another drab anitM$ thread is it? zzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzz

so long and thanks for all the fish.

i'm not Anti-MS, i'm Anti-Windows.

i think that Outlook, Word, Excel and Winamp are great. It's just Windows that sucks.

Bill Gates used to be my hero the way he took over everything, his genious with marketing and destroying competitors astonished me. It's only since Win95 that i started to dislike Winblows, Win3.1 kicked butt

Anti-MS threads are so fun. I can't say I ever enjoyed any Microsoft product even before I discovered Linux. Actually I did like Notepad but that was just because it was so simple it was hard for microsoft to fuck it up.

I love Microsoft!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

I'd be careful in asking that if I were you, if you're anything like me, you WON'T like the answer:

Basically it seems most folks DO want to be told what to do. You see it everyday:

- parents who want to legislate morality in TV shows because they can't be bothered to spend time with their kids and teach them THEMSELVES what's right and what's wrong.
- same point as above, but for the net.
- The multitude of posters (usually with a < 10 post count) who come on here and say "I think windows is better because it just works and I don't have to think about it".

Basically it SEEMS the majority want things quick and easy, even at the price of freedom really. Our generation has been raised on the instant gratification of multimedia advertising, the idea that thinking is hard and not something we want to do. This is increased by apathetic school organizations who more often then not just teach you to tow the line and don't stand out.

If anything, anyone who ends up choosing linux and enjoying linux (and working at it) is either consciously or unconsciously taking a personal stand against this sort of attitude.

Remember, Bill only makes a lot of easy money if we stay peaceful sheep...(this could apply to pretty much most big companies).

I recently installed Windows XP Pro on a partion. Guess what? I like it. It's stable, it's rock solid, and it gives me no problems. Kudos to Microsoft for actually releasing a good product this time around. I'd be on it right now if I didnt like Debian so much

I might use winXP but whos to say its a leagal version? it might be it might not be. I just like the software that runs on it, not the os.