I hate windows and all, but I was cruising the net, seeing what the new Longhorn is supposed to be like. I found a VERY interesting thing on the internet. Longhorn is supposed to have an install time of 15 mins. I had to post this because it seems that Microsoft is fearing the linux revolution and making their products just as good. I installed and configured this system in about 20 mins( that includes setting up DHCP, all my apps, as well as themes, custom icons, etc) FINALLY, windows is catching up to linux instead of the other way around WOOHOOOOOOOO FOR LINUX. I also found that longhorn is supposed to have better "SECURITY" and "INTEGRATION OF APPLICATIONS" This can only mean one thing. They want everything they don't like to die. Really, if they keep the secret formula for getting into this so-called 'fortress" hidden, It could kill open source in windows, and I don't think anyone will be happy about that. people will flee from windows looking for a better solution, and they won't take Mac OS X, because it does almost but not quite the same thing, their last resort: LINUX. That's why I think Longhorn will be the nail in the coffin for windows. Just my 2 cents. Anyone else got anything to say about the new Longhorn?

I think you over estimate peoples ability to make independent decisions.

You know, if you think about it, I probably was a little overbearing, but you can't fight the facts, linux looks a LOT more like Windows than Mac OS X. It just seems like a natural step.

there's a whole lot more too it than that.

Longhorn will be MS flagship OS like 95 was when it first was released. They are changing everything including the filesystem. Trust me they know where they've gone wrong and what they are doing right and thats one of the reasons they are taking their sweet time with this. Longhorn in my opinion will make or break them. Anytime you change everything around including the filesystem you move somewhat into unchartered territory but they realize that they can't stay on the same path because with everything going on from their systems being hacked, viruses, spyware, etc that sort of embarrasment has forced them to take a deep look at how they want to do things in the future. Don't bet on them going under though...they've been in the Fortune 500 forever, and strong companies just don't fold under the pressure of a few competitors. Usually its been the other way around.

so it's true they're big. but if they get their way, all hell could break loose. i think a lot of people(most of them) have something against big business, and if microsoft tries to push too hard, they'll drown themselves. I used to use windows, but it has so many useless "features", bugs, viruses, worms, etc that it has to crumble someday. I read a really interesting article here
that talks about why people who work for money have less imagination. Microsoft is in this because most of the people there are millionaires, or even billionaires, not because they just love to build something the customer will appreciate and offer suggestions to. That's where all the linux people are, working for little or no money at all in most cases, but they do it because they love it. Maybe people will just want something better, and not the same old WINDOWS, WINDOWS, WINDOWS. even my MOM uses linux because her old XP was sooooo slow and crashed all the time. As soon as she got used to it, she was asking why she hadn't tried linux before(she was, of course, using mandrake 10). Who knows, maybe Windows will pull itself together in 2006 and make something amazing. But I don't have that kind of patience, and anyway linux is already that good.

most people dont have a clue about linux. It needs to be introduced to them for them to create an opinion on it. When I am helping people with a windows problem I will show them a Mandrake Move cd to introduce them to it and show them breifly that there is an alternative to windows. I have gotten a few people to actually try linux but most make there discision and switch back on over to windows.

You would be suprised how many people have no clue there are "other" OS's though. Most think a computer and windows is the same thing.

So people just up and deciding to move to linux is not going to happen imo.

Well, it's too bad that most people don't know about linux. Maybe someday they'll find out how good/diverse it is. My best friend is trying knoppix, and almost everyone I know has or is going to try linux. Linux will keep growing IMO, and eventually, more and more people will come to appreciate it. For now, less people is good, less viruses worms, and all that bad stuff. Cheers

What if MS switch to Linux team? period... I'll explain:

- Apple saw the power of Linux and BSD and made their latest OS very nice, stable and user friendly. It still sucks because all Mac does (non-upgradable hardware that is...), but the OS itself is great.

- Sun tried for several years to smash Linux. They even said Java won't ever be open and also teamed up with MS. Lately, after seeing that their main OS is no match to Desktop, they took SuSE and made a very nice Operating System, called Sun JDS.

I've been playing with it for 3 days now and, although I hated it at first, it start to be one of my favorite desktops: Very clean interface, well Integrated Environment, great Office package (Star Office). I've found it very fast, very intuitive and easy to use. Windows users simply feel "home" with it.

I also got Nvidia, emulators and games running on it... Maybe not quite yet, but initiatives as Sun's and JDS may in the future, become MS worst nightmares.

Now think: What if MS, in the future takes Linux over, make something easy Sun JDS, include a bunch of games, MS compatibility, keep charging and release the source? They would take over Linux market (or a great deal of it) as some distributions are doing: Linspire, Xandros, etc. And sure, keep a very open eye for Sun JDS....

I'd say, the business change all the time and quite fast: Nintendo and Sega were enemies in the 90's, but today, Sega released Sonic among other titles to all Nintendo platforms.

I'd go to Vegas and spend all my money in Casino's or bet in horses or Lottery, but I'd not put a single dime in any company right now, be it MS, Sun or what else. We never know what is right on the next corner with so much dim ahead.... and Longhorn will take more a couple of years to be ready, so watch out

As a MSDN Universal Subscriber, im lucky enough to get all of Microsofts software, and Longhorn will be a huge leap for computers when its out. The Windows Advanced Server, Limited Edition Version 1.2 Eval and its great, yes buggy, but its going to be a great program.

I don't think installation time means anything....on a new system install I like to take my time and do it right (a la Mr. Rogers). I don't care if it takes 20 minutes or 2 hours.
As for the "nail in the coffin": That's the way I saw XP.

Oh you are funny! And just where is your stone bridge mate?

Windows, will only go down when Linux become automated, normal people cannot open a system terminal and be expected to run different commands for different programs, if it were all intergrated with EVRYTHING in rpms and drivers widely available in an EASY linux format, I would introduce it to everyone I knew, the only reason i don't at the moment is becuase I can't even get the drivers for my comp!! I would have people screaming down the phone at me abour something i can't fix.

Just my 2p

Jack.

Hmmmmmm, WAIT, I'VE GOT IT!!!!!!!!! Anybody wonder why MS tried to sue Lindows? What if they're working on some sort of linux port for Windows? What if longhorn will be linux based!!!???!! You know that could kill the company, they would HAVE to sell for less, or people would just get their tech-savvy friends to download, compile, burn, and give it to them. Look at the GPL, if MS went to linux, they would be FORCED into giving it away for free, that would be illogical(OK, now I'm changing my focus, but I'm just writing what pops into my head). Microsoft couldn't go to linux, it would ruin everything they've done for the past 20 years.



With how many times if reinstalled(20+), fast install is important. People want something faster because they're getting impatient; the last time I installed a MS product, it was 3 hours of nail-biting hell(I had a Pentium 1 a couple years ago). With that same processer, I built a debian server in 45 minutes. MS is getting behind the times.

Now let's go into customization. Would anyone like to compare Windows to Gentoo, or even FEDORA. Windows installs all the things I don't want, cheap ass web browser/email client, IM that hardly ever works, games that get in my way and steal valuable resources, and a bunch of other crap I wish it didn't have(WMP). And if you just want a system that works, you won't get anything you don't need.

One last note before I'm done, how come in Windows I can't delete a file while I'm using it? I never ran into this in Linux. When I'm editing a pic and I don't like it, I delete, copy what I like, and then make a new picture. That simple. Sorry for the long post, I just got carried away.

I've been using Gentoo for a while, and I simply loved the massive amount of control I suddenly received. I used Mandrake before Gentoo, which installed a huge suite of software, a lot of which I never use, but with Gentoo I had the ability to build everything exactly how I wanted it: the filesystem (I chose ext3), the partition structures, the kernel version (I chose 2.6), the kernel modules, the window manager (I chose Enlightenment), the desktop (I chose KDE), everything.

Windows XP, on the other hand, installs a fair bit of software on its own accord, but not much. IE, OE, Win Messenger and even Win Movie Maker got installed without my knowledge and I never use any of them when I use Windows at all (which is rarely, of course).

However, Gentoo took a whole day to install, compile and configure, but it was definitely worth it. Windows took about half an hour, but it takes twice as long to boot every time I need to use it.


As for Longhorn, I am convinced that it will spell Microsoft's gradual demise, since they will be simultaneously ceasing the support of Windows 98 thru 2000 (I think). A lot of people who use these versions will think 'I need to upgrade', and they'll take one look at the price of Longhorn and then think twice. They'll say 'Isn't there an alternative?' and they'll soon discover that there are indeed alternatives: MacOS, Linux and Unix. Seeing that Linux is free and more reliable, they'll probably go for it. That's my opinion, anyway.

that solitaire game must really be hogging up your system...



just messing with ya!