Favorite OS?

[KamuroIshigami]

Re: Favorite OS?

Unless you have a volume or MSDN license, 2003 requires activation just like XP and Vista do, and has the same activation limitations.

Yes, I do, another reason why I like it.
Though mainly because the OS isn't gimped on Windows 2003 compared to their workstation counter-parts.

[Mhurron]

Re: Favorite OS?

Darn it! My favorite OS is not listed there!
Windows 2003!

It is not a gimped Windows and having the ability to install it on as many computer as necessary to test things is always nice.

Unless you have a volume or MSDN license, 2003 requires activation just like XP and Vista do, and has the same activation limitations.

[KamuroIshigami]

Re: Favorite OS?

Darn it! My favorite OS is not listed there!
Windows 2003!

It is not a gimped Windows and having the ability to install it on as many computer as necessary to test things is always nice.

But my runner up would be FreeBSD, I don't like RedHat as much as I would like to.

[Feba]

Re: Favorite OS?

ReactOS is one impressive feat of software enginerring, one thing to keep in mind is that ReactOS isn't ready for day-to-day use, It's certainly worth taking a look at, but probably not trying to perform your day job on just yet.

well, yeah.

Many of those applications are also available for Win32.

Where's the fun in that, though?

[Gentoo]

Re: Favorite OS?

StarvingArtist: Actually, ReactOS isn't Nix at all, it's an open source, reverse engineered version of Windows.

ReactOS is one impressive feat of software enginerring, one thing to keep in mind is that ReactOS isn't ready for day-to-day use, It's certainly worth taking a look at, but probably not trying to perform your day job on just yet.

You might also be interested in some of Linux's programs like blender, GIMP, open source art stuff. If nothing else, if you have an afternoon to kill, consider downloading something like Ubuntu Studio and fooling around with a dualboot.

Many of those applications are also available for Win32. Even if you don't want to/can't play with a *nix yet, there's some really good software that you can start using that sets you up to be easily platform agnostic.

[Feba]

Re: Favorite OS?

StarvingArtist: Actually, ReactOS isn't Nix at all, it's an open source, reverse engineered version of Windows. PClinuxOS is, obviously, Linux, but it's meant to make the transition very easy for Windows users.

You might also be interested in some of Linux's programs like blender, GIMP, open source art stuff. If nothing else, if you have an afternoon to kill, consider downloading something like Ubuntu Studio and fooling around with a dualboot.

[Mhurron]

Re: Favorite OS?

Aside, my favourite OS of all time is Workbench 2.0, or Intuition for the Amiga.

http://os4.hyperion-entertainment.biz/

[Akashimo]

Re: Favorite OS?

And this was someone in a school who was apparently teaching kids how to use computers.

Wow, another scarey case of teachers being not up to par for their teachings........................*recalls having to baby computer graphics teacher in using image save/conversion and how to use filters.....*

[Feba]

Re: Favorite OS?

Turns out that he was just powering the monitor on/off only, not the system itself.

I remember hearing a story like this once. Someone complained that their copy of windows was running slowly, even though they turned it off and on every day. Tech guy figured out that they had left their computer on for like 800 days or something insane like that. And this was someone in a school who was apparently teaching kids how to use computers.

StarvingArtist, have you ever heard of PCLinuxOS or ReactOS? They might be right up your alley if/when you do decide to dabble.

[Feba]

Re: Favorite OS?

nazlfrag: Wrong. Dell had to be a bunch of idiots and say it's for "advanced users" or "tech enthusiasts", which means no normal person will buy it now.

you can't do everything in Ubuntu in a GUI, I think everyone who uses ubuntu knows sudo dpkg-reconfigure xserver-xorg, but everything you'd be doing in daily life, yeah.

If I set up my grandma's computer with Ubuntu, I have no doubt that she could easily do everything she has ever used her computer for (Read internet reciepes, send emails, play solitare) with no instruction at all.

[nazlfrag]

Re: Favorite OS?

Well Feba, Dell's selling Ubuntu loaded PCs now so it shouldn't be too long before users can walk into a store and have an alternative.

Everyone goes on about the Linux command line, somehow forgetting Windows is worse in this regard. I much prefer having a Linux style human readable text file for changing config settings than digging around in the registry, or relying on whatever they decide to include in the GUI config tool.

Regardless, Ubuntu is ready for the average, even the clueless Windows user. It presents a simple and clean interface that finally dispenses with the need for the user to ever use a CLI. I think it has taken this long because the traditional linux users find a CLI faster and more powerful than a GUI, and so had no real need for a complete GUI toolset. Thankfully some broke away from this tradition and finally made Linux ready for mainstream use.

Aside, my favourite OS of all time is Workbench 2.0, or Intuition for the Amiga. As it is, I put Linux, as I'm dual booting Debian and XP. If it wasn't for FFXI & Photoshop I would be 100% Linux, but I don't think I can give up these two gems just yet.

[Feba]

Re: Favorite OS?

Afterall, a company doesn't become a monopoly overnight.

Does the term "IBM PC" mean nothing to you?

that's not the point though. like I stated, your point about the market deciding what is easy to use is moot because almost nobody who doesn't already have technical knowledge has ever even been shown a linux computer, let alone be able to interact with or even consider buying one

When a person wants a computer, they walk into a store, and they go to the area that has the PCs. Every single one of those computers is running windows. The user never even CONSIDERS that other OS exist, let alone the pros and cons of using it.

Consider when a person looks at a cell phone. They aren't just looking at the physical phone, they're also looking at the software on it, and what it can do. Now imagine that each of those phones had all the same features and functions, with the only things the user can tell a difference between being the way the phone actually looks, the sound quality, and how reliable/powerful it's antenna is. That's the way this is.

Microsoft could make a version of windows that had to be operated by foot pedal, and it would still be the majority OS, just because it's what is in stores.

[HairdewX]

Re: Favorite OS?

It is needed, though, if you want to get an idea of how user friendly something really is. Basically, right now, you're just saying "oh, well this is easier than that. I don't have any proof or anything, i'm just assuming it because I know I would have an easier time with this"

I'm referring to a more real-world approach. How we approach things during the design stage.

If you are looking for hard evidence you'll be disappointed. However, "the proof is in the pudding". The only way is to have real people test it out in a test market and analyze the results. After a while, the results start to follow the same trends. Afterall, a company doesn't become a monopoly overnight.

[Feba]

Re: Favorite OS?

It is needed, though, if you want to get an idea of how user friendly something really is.

Basically, right now, you're just saying "oh, well this is easier than that. I don't have any proof or anything, i'm just assuming it because I know I would have an easier time with this"

[HairdewX]

Re: Favorite OS?

I can't tell if just pull these things out of your ass, or you're intentionally trying to be a troll?

ok...

Go search on academic papers about visual and analytical learning. Not everyone is predisposed to learning in a visual manner.

Of course not everyone, but the majority are are.

And wtf does visual representation of the file system have to do with test Feba presented? You can't seriously be suggesting that non-windows operating systems are command line only.

I told Feba that the test was not even necessary (or realistic, for that matter) and I went on to talk about something else.