What I want to know is… when something like this is available FOR FREE, how does Microsoft get away with charging $300 for Windows XP? Seriously. It fits on a FLOPPY!!! We’re technically not even buying the operating system anymore either. We’re paying $300 for the “right to use” Windows. A right that can be taken away from us at Microsofts whim. Don’t believe me? Read your EULA for WinXP. It’s there.
As soon as I get my hands on a laptop, something like QNX, MenuetOS or FreeBSD is going on it and never coming off. Viva la Freeware!
yeah, until you want to play games, or do anything productive. Then you’ll be shelling out the bucks for the “right to use” windows. It’s not just the OS that you’re getting with the cost, it’s also the entire library of software that is developed for the OS. At least you’re not buying my company’s software which costs in the 6 figures.
It could be better, but it could also be a LOT worse.
true. games are the single reason I haven’t switched yet. If Mac gaming ever gets partially supported, I’d be gone in a second. As for productivity, there’s a whole bunch of alternatives. I’ve actually been thinking about ditching Office for StarOffice for quite a while now. I don’t see productivity as much of a hastle anymore. Every OS has email clients, web browsers, mp3 players, writting tools etc. It’s those darn games that still have me pinned down 🙂
and it’s completely true that it could be a lot worse. hell, we could all be using WinME. it could also be a lot better. My hard drive, the physical equipment that without it the software would be useless, was only $150. Car steering wheels don’t cost more than engines, so why should my OS cost more than my PC? If I was offered a 99.9% perfect OS, that would never crash, do everything I needed, had all the cool bells and wistles, was compatable with everything and did a swell song and dance number, then sure I might sell out a sizable lump of cash for it.
“do anything productive”
Wow, think of all the time I’ve been wasting working under FreeBSD for the past 4 years. I guess I havn’t done a single productive thing for JLC, Net-Temps, or SimPro. How could I have been so foolish?
Matt: Check out openoffice, it’s the free version of StarOffice. The Windows version is pretty solid, I’ve been using it for a while at home, since I can’t afford a $500 Office just to type a letter every once and a while.
>>CHRIS writes-“It’s not just the OS that you’re getting with the cost, it’s also the entire library of software that is developed for the OS.”
The ENTIRE library? When you buy the OS, you dont get the ENTIRE library of software with it.. You gota buy those games and applications…
Open source projects like Linux have lots of games and application available for free.
Funny thing is, alot of the Windows software is written with and on Open Source OS and development suites, then sold off to the Windows Sheep..errr….Users