Topic: If its good enough for Microsoft ...  (Read 18358 times)

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Offline Dash Jones

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Re: If its good enough for Microsoft ...
« Reply #60 on: July 25, 2006, 05:25:09 pm »
I am the one who could be perfectly happy with Win98.  It's the kids that clamor for the latest tech (games and all that rot).  ;)  ::)  :P  :lol:

Granted, in comparison to office suites operating systems are cheap, but then let me drop the use of WinXP (I'm NOT going to upgrade to Vista unless'n'Igottadoitorelse) as an example and say MS Office or one other more expensive software.

I can happily go back to my old DOS WordStar (still got a copy somewhere... ) under DOS 6.22, 5.0, 4.0, whatever (well, not 5.0; it was gutted of several useful commands).  I DON'T need a GUI.  I can function without a mouse; I love keyboard shortcuts.  Why, doing so would allow me to use again the original GOOD versions of Norton Utilities  :).

It's really the kids that drive this stuff in my house (glad that they're not exactly old enough to be hip to the CPU scene and know the latest and greatest; they're happy as clams with their Athlon XP Barton core 2500+'s; though, they do have some inkling about hot vid cards... not good.  :P).  They wanted WinXP over 98.  They are still using Office 97.  Mine got upgraded only because after a HD crash, my reinstalled XP didn't work well with my older CDROM and DVD drives and couldn't execute any files on the Office 97 CD.    (Must be all the updates to XP!)  Otherwise, I'd still be happily using it, too.

Yow.  Multiply everything by some factor greater than 2.  One does *begin* (who'm I kidding?!  I felt it on day one!) the hit.

MS DOESN'T have to have variable license sizes; it can set a number, and I personally think at least two or three or maybe up to four or five is decent, and if you have a Brady Bunch, then you buy two or three copies.  For a large family, that IS fair, as you'd have to buy more food, clothing, fuel, etc.  But to make EVERY SINGLE member, preschoolers or elementary school kids or parents alike, pay for a copy on EVERY machine is a bit steep.

Actually there's linux, and the one's I've used of Linux allows the usage of a mouse.  Just a heads up in case you ever decide to use linux.
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Offline E_Look

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Re: If its good enough for Microsoft ...
« Reply #61 on: July 25, 2006, 08:01:57 pm »
Nemesis-  I had no problem in the old days with command line UNIX.  I have never tried LINUX.

Dash-  To be fair, when my HD croaked (one sound it made did kind of sound like a croak), all I had to do was telephone MS and tell them my HD croaked.  It was over in a minute (after the roughly three to five I had to hold for) and I was able to re-register the same CD's re-installation on my new HD.  It was exactly painless.

But I can see how if authentication is done with everything some companies may not (want to) make it so easy for you when you have technical problems and have to reinstall.

Offline Nemesis

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Re: If its good enough for Microsoft ...
« Reply #62 on: July 25, 2006, 08:19:54 pm »
Nemesis-  I had no problem in the old days with command line UNIX.  I have never tried LINUX.

Try one of the LiveCDs they allow you to run the OS right off the CD or DVD without effecting the HD.  Ubuntu or its sibling Kubuntu have a good reputation and you can use the commandline or GUI as you like.
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Offline GE-Raven

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Re: If its good enough for Microsoft ...
« Reply #63 on: July 26, 2006, 03:06:51 pm »

Haven't been in business long eh?

I found that removing Windows from most of the computers and installing a internet datalink which ONLY allows them to peruse products whilst selling, OR for those who do use a Computer for more than that to only have limited access, that it SAVED a lot.  Why...those dang stupid Window games and people installing spyware, gonzo buddy or whatever it's called, and everything else under the sun and using OUR computers to play instead of work with.  Amazingly, limiting access also suddenly cut down on how much wear and tear our tech department was doing and how much they had to do "repairs" on computers.

However, I didn't touch certain areas of the company such as the money management...and a few other areas in the company.  But certain areas WERE having problems when I first started there, in the area I was working for the time I was there.

I suspect Windows actually leads to a LOT of wasted time in some instances.

My father on the otherhand was MUCH worse.  He of course banned all playing of games (though enforcing it is another thing), however where he works and when he visited for a while he had ALL stations facing a door or open area so the person could be observed whatever they were doing, AND unless they were REALLY doing a good job, if he caught them abusing company property (such as computers) and were disposable...they were fired.

I don't think I quite agree with his philosophy, but then they were always rather tyranical when I was at home with them about computer usage there as well (I don't know how many of you remember when I was a youngster and visits to their place and how they acted towards internet usage).

As far as MS goes, I can actually understand their desire to have only one OS per machine.  What GALLS me is that they have you authenticate or they lock you out of your own system.  What happens when their support for XP ends.  Some idiots say that MS will give a universal unlock code...I think they are just that...idiots.  I expect instead it will be a forced upgrade instead.  If your XP goes belly up (and I've HAD THAT HAPPEN), you can't reinstall, even if it's on the same computer at that point...and you are SOL.  Instead you'll have to pay 99 - 199 for that "upgrade" to Vista instead.

That's why I've ALWAYS been against the authentication process, because it really can work against the customer.  In a BAD way.

Actually Dash I am fairly certain I have been in it a bit longer than you might think...   

However you seem to be ignoring the fact that with MS I control the user rights.  Users install nothing if I don't want to allow them too.  I control the internet, the ports open, the bandwidth.  Hell I can even limit how many e-mails a person is allowed to get.  Granted that gem is actually in the Novell Realm. 

However let me explain it this way.  I work for a college.  Our business is teaching.... more over one department teaches Computer Graphics and Interactive Media.  Now I dunno about you but I doubt I would be getting many students to enroll in the program that had all open source software.  Better yet, I would have a hell of a time finding those kids jobs.  I have to be able to support what the predominant "industry standard" dejour is.  I am sure if all I needed the computers to do was one thing and one thing only I could avoid all sorts of pitfalls.  However that ain't happening any time soon...  CGIM has about 50 applications that are on a lab image.  From 3dsMax, to Adobe Illustrator, to Quark, to Frontpage, Word, Excel, and even Half-Life 2 (Game design class).  That is one department with 3 labs of 15 machines.  (Each lab has different sets of software)

Then in Science I have the Molecular Modelling software (Molsoft) that is insanely delicate.  Not to mention the 20 other programs that are specific to that department.

Then English, Seminary, Music, Athletics, Computer Science, Business...

I hear all sorts of "1 job wonder" stories from all the ABM people (Anything But Microsoft).  However these people fail to recognize, that in the real world people use, like, love, and buy MS in mass quantities.  This is unlikely to change in the very near future.  Forcing an anti-MS objective on my work place is would be as counter-productive as telling a factory union that all their members had until Wednesday to convert to Islam.

Furthermore in my experience I have found the true "open minded" profesionals that give MS their due, and use Novell, Linux, and a toaster oven if it is the best for the job to be much happier than the person who will break their neck to avoid the MS banner just because they don't like William Gates III.

Again this is just my opinion...

I use what works, I balance money vs. easy of use and amount of support required.  I have unlimitied demands place on very finite resources.  This means that I would be an idiot to not use MS in a lot of cases.

GE-Raven

Offline Dash Jones

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Re: If its good enough for Microsoft ...
« Reply #64 on: July 26, 2006, 08:06:11 pm »
Actually, believe it or not I have a great respect for Bill Gates and think the guy is great.

There are some around him that are slime...but I digress...it's not nice to talk about them.


I don't go out of my way to avoid Windows.

The specific statement you made that I should have clarified that showed you hadn't been in the business long was this

Quote
I have met a few "Open source only" types... and in every case their users are suffering a great deal and productivity from computer work is probably about 1/2 of what it should be. 

While I haven't been only Open source, by moving computer to open source from Windows, and placing restrictions on those that did have Windows...(with some exceptions as I stated, and yes IT was one of those exceptions, seeing they were overseeing it all anyways) we actually made MORE than when it was Windows...so by applying your statement, if they only got 1/2 our productivity with this new set up, we must have only gotten 1/4 of our productivity with a Windows ONLY policy.

I know several companies that are doing excellent without Windows.  I'll be sure to tell the Waltons next time however that your opinion of some of their Machines is that they are not being productive (it should be noted they also use Windows extensively as well, but also have things without windows).

In otherwords, I don't know of a single business that lost productivity because of non-usage of Windows, but I DO know of companies that lost productivity because of the way they implemented Windows.

As long as the computer does the task they need it too, it is productive, Windows or not.  Most sales associates I've seen don't need to have some whizzed out computer, they just need something to tell them inventory and where something can be located.  Anymore than that and you start to lose productivity from them.  Some places need more than that and need Windows, I'll grant you that...but claiming that those that don't lose productivity...in my experience as long as the head management knows what they are doing, that is actually a false statement.  (Now if they have no idea what they are doing in the first place, and no reasons or goals of why they are switching and what they want to accomplish with that...then yes...I can see it happening...but with those making a knowlegeable choice...it is almost ALWAYS more productive).  Hence the problems with your all encompassing and very generalized statement.
"All hominins are hominids, but not all hominids are hominins."


"Is this a Christian perspective?

Now where in the Bible does it say if someone does something stupid you should shoot them in the face?"

-------

We have whale farms in Jersey.   They're called McDonald's.

There is no "I" in team. There are two "I"s in Vin Diesel. screw you, team.

Offline Commander Maxillius

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Re: If its good enough for Microsoft ...
« Reply #65 on: July 28, 2006, 12:35:13 am »
If I could get a hold of some old PII's and copies of Win98 I'd be in hog-heaven for an OP-game lab!!


Can you imagine the carnage.... wait...

make that PIII's ;D  I remember the horrible time my PII 400 had with 3 ships lol
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