Nope it hasn't (and most likely won't), what has changed however, is the type of users that frequent forums. For every 1 user who writes 'RTFM' there are 10 more who will actually help. Sometimes you just need to be thick skinned and not take it personally.

Don't let the way others treat you, define how you treat others. Keep being helpful, there are those who will appreciate it.

Succeed against what?

I agree it does require support and money, but not to turn it into some Global Capitalist Corporation. It needs these things to continue to drive it forward.

I've never seen any major advertising on TV or in the papers pushing GNU/Linux, yet it is popular enough to be considered a threat. I say let Micro$oft continue to turn the screws and force users to comply with their world order. It's human nature to 'Rage Against the Storm' those who don't like being controlled will always seek out an alternative.

There's a flavour of GNU/Linux out there to suit every level of computer expertise, now that's what I call Real Choice.

Windows succeeded due to a fairly easy graphical interface, and supporting a lot of languages from the start in a very good way.

That's demonstrably not the case:

Windows 2000 & XP language support:


http://support.microsoft.com/kb/292246


Debian language support:

http://www.debian.org/international/

Debian are too modest to list every subset and variant of Spanish, English etc though they are all available. Microsoft's list has a whiff of desperation about it....

And please consider the fact that if you purchase a copy of Windows in English and later decide you also need another language you have to purchase a Multilingual User Interface Pack which can be added to the English editions, or you can buy a whole new version of Windows. That sucks.

edit: the above MS list is for 2000 and XP, the 2000 only lisy consists of only

Arabic
Armenian
Baltic
Central Europe
Cyrillic
Georgian
Greek
Hebrew
Indic
Japanese
Korean
Simplified Chinese
Thai
Traditional Chinese
Turkic
Vietnamese
Western Europe and United States English (Caribbean)

Matter of Opinion, if you're talking Hardware, well that wrong all together. Hardware manufacturers make Generic "Hardware" the drivers that power them are built initially for "Generic" Os's, it when the company decided they want to have the driver compiled for a w32, or win64 environment that they "Intend" on you using it for Windblows.

And Everyone knows about intentions, there just best wishes of one individual. Auto Manufacturers "Intend" on you Changing you're oil every 10k miles not 30k and expect you to operate you're Vehicle under the most Perfect of conditions. but that is rarely how there used.

As far as Software goes, again all a matter of opinion..

"Microsoft Office Doesnt Work like i want it to on my Linux" Thats why theres Open Office, did any one bother to mention how its performance, Capabilities, and Practicabilities Far Surpass Microsoft.

"My Call Of Duty 4 Wont Display Textures right in wine" It says "Designed for windows" Not because it was, it says that because it is Written to be rendered with DirectX, Call the Developer up, Ream them out because they Decided to use a COMPLETELY closed Source Render with a Quarter of the Ability's of OpenGL.

And my Personal Favorite "My Webcam wont Work after installing Linux" im sorry, you cant buy a $10.00 Microsoft Camera, that says "Certified for Vista" and expect to just plug it into you're Linux Box and go, if you are upset at the Community STOP THE RANT THERE! its NOT the Community's FAULT!! its the Manufactures fault for using COMPLETELY CLOSED SOURCE DRIVERS. if they provided Source codes for every piece of Software and Drivers, It be as simple as compiling it for you're Platform. but because Microsoft spends Billions of Dollars buying the market out with there Inferior, Proprietary products. So that youre STUCK with either Reverse Engineering the product, or using Windows.

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Ask Linus Torvalds what he thinks of Windows, Go ask a MIT Computer Sciences Department Professor, then go Ask Xerox. Lets see the answers..

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im not flaming you or anyone, but if you want "One Company" To decided the future of every Piece of Software, Hardware, Compatibility and option. Become a Fanboy of any OS.

But if you ACTUALLY Care about people, not a OS. Dont make this a matter of "Is Windows Better or is linux(unix) Better" Ask youre self, Is Open Source and what it Stands for Better. or is Closed Source and what it stands for better..

And while youre at it remember this, Bill Gates is the Richest man alive, and during his life has donated only a quarter back into what hes made.

I dont see him just giving away the Hard Work of 100's of Developers, With just Saying "Thank you for caring"

no, you want it you can spend $600.00 + support.

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Then lets take a look at Linux Torvalds. Donated in his life time 70% of his income directly back into the OS hes helped Develop.

HIM AND MILLIONS OF DEVELOPERS GIVE IT AWAY FOR FREE, UNDER A OPEN LICENSE! THAT SAYS ITS FOR THE PEOPLE, NOT FOR THE COMPANY!

- Look Beyond the Tainted Glass, and See all you can see...

from takla's list above... does this make sense:
its interesting to see how many countries speak english...

No, the Admittedly Reason that Microsoft Windows survived, Was the facts...

it came with a Reasonably Easy GUI.

Its Price Was Extremly low in Comparison to Macintosh($23 Vs. $86 - Trust me i was working for a small firm at the time. i know.)

and Lastly, and sadly most important...

IT CAME WITH SOLITAIRE!...

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Dont believe me, double check wikipedia..

the reason windows/ms dos survived is that ms strong armed the OEMs to sell only windows/ms dos, basically what ms said was "if you don't sell _only_ ms dos/windows then we won't let you sell it at all"

Every Operating System is good! Non are better than others, just GNU/Linux sucks less

I can't believe people can discuss such a messed up poll for 150 pages, but I guess there had to be one. Note that UNIX is not Linux, and Linux is not UNIX. Heck we're not even considering any distros here, or BSD, or Mac, or Solaris.

if we didn't have one, there would just be thousands of linux vs. windows flamewars everywhere, at least this way there is just one giant one where people can let off some steam

I'm just wondering how much longer XP is going to last on my laptop. I've had the laptop about a month now, and only booted into Windows about half a dozen times for a few hours each time. I didn't miss it when I got rid of it from my desktop, so I reckon it's waiting in its cell on Death Row now.

"every os sucks" - 3 dead trolls in a baggie

IMHO, Sun Solaris / Opensolaris is buy far better than windows. Call me a Sun Microsystems "FanBoy" if you please But sumn has been at it for twent-two plus yeasrs and hasn't missed a beat with Either OpTher Solaris or java product lines.

Uhh i beg to differ...Windows sucks...Mac is bad and is also controlled by one company.

As I said the last time I entered this thread, to quote Three Dead Trolls in a Baggie, "Every OS sucks - and blows" http://www.deadtroll.com/video/ossuckscable.html(probably NSFW)