Announcing my Pre-Windows Vista Upgrade

10.13.2006

I've decided to keep my copy of windows XP. And that will be my last windows operating system.

Since I want to be riding the wave of the future, I shall be installing linux on my laptop's other partition. The windows XP installation will die, but not until its time has come.

Since linux admittedly, is not the best platform for entertainment, I'll be picking up a Mac sooner rather than later.

As a consumer, I'd like to thank Microsoft for helping me make an informed decison.

Thanks to Microsoft, I now know that if my hardware crashes twice, I need to buy a new copy of VISTA. (In contrast, my 2001 copy of Windows XP Pro has made it through four motherboards, and will never die on account of my hardware... not to mention XP has finally made it to the 'mature' point in its software lifecycle.)

And on a more personal note, I wanted to thank Microsoft for this incredible gift to the open source community. I think your years developing longhorn were more than worth it.

Microsoft will not be just another US Steel, and Standard Oil. No anti-trust laws required to break them up. Rather, I think they shall fall, or rather fizzle much like the Roman empire did.

0! Happy Holidays In Store for Microsoft Indeed!

Nick Lewis's blog

Comments

Wed, 2006-11-15 18:13 — eyezberg (not verified)

Still valid?

Hi,
considering the recent changes MS made to their activation policy (which I haven't all followed up on), is your comment about needing to buy Vista again after 2 hardware crashes still valid?
If money didn't matter, I'd personally rather go for a new MacBook (and use BootCamp to run XP), but as soon as I get any old comp', I might try Linux...

Thu, 2006-11-02 18:30 — Erik Mallinson (not verified)

Ubuntu

I'd rather rec. Ubuntu over XUbuntu, unless you're ok with the fact that there's no trash bucket and when you click delete it's gone (unless you're a total nerd and know how to reclaim data in a linux environment). This was intentional, because "who ever makes a mistake and throws out the wrong thing?!?"

Anyway, Congrats. I've been using Linux now (ubuntu for a couple years) and it's been wonderful. There's WINEX (google it) which is a direct x for linux thing, to play games. Programming-wise, it's the best environment imho..

I've also been using a Mac Mini lately and then back to Linux-- I didn't realize how much I missed it. And strangely enough I've been running windows at home too (but don't miss it)... but for all that it helps to have 3 computers, and possibly a girlfriend to procure 2 of the 3 computers.

Tue, 2007-02-13 00:24 — a passing drifter (not verified)

Umm, what are you talking

Umm, what are you talking about? Xubuntu uses the Thunar file manager (a bajillion times better than that nautilus crap bundled with gnome) which includes a trash bin.

Sat, 2006-10-28 21:15 — jakeg (not verified)

Sounds like me - stay clear of Macs

Sounds like my kind of conundrum. I've tried switching to Linux several times, and use it on my server (which, incidentally, is a Mac Mini running Fedora Core 5 because the mini draws so little power and runs so quiet). Its great for servers, but just frustrates on the desktop when you find some software you recently bought won't run on it, or like me where its a laptop and it won't sleep or hibernate at all.

So then I tried switching to a Mac - even worse experience. You can't make windows full screen, there's no option anywhere in the UI to have the @ and " keys in the right place for my UK keyboard, all the keyboard shortcuts are clumsy and need re-learning, same problem with any W32 software you've bought, lack of a text editor as nice for me as EditPlus, etc. etc. And then there's the bloody sleep light on a iBook - no way to turn it off, so if you want to sleep in the same room you have to chuck a bit of clothing on it.

So, I struggle away with Windows. To create my *nix environment I use cygwin. To create my server-like environment for web development on my desktop takes some doing, but once you've written a cheat-sheet for yourself its so worth it. It works.

Fri, 2006-10-20 08:02 — Jeff O'Hara (not verified)

Linux or Mac

Well i've been a linux user for years and have always kept a windows box around. MS is definately making it easier and easier for me to get rid of that windows box, i don't think i'll be upgrading it or buying vista. I already switched my wife to a mac and I will probably do the same and run ubuntu on it.

-Jeff

Mon, 2006-10-16 07:36 — a passing drifter (not verified)

Math Question

Nick,

Quick question,
What is the module called that provides you with the "Math Question" when typing comments?

Thanks
Sorry for being off topic.
jacauc

Mon, 2006-10-16 08:12 — Nick Lewis

the captcha module

Sat, 2006-10-14 01:16 — J. Alva Scruggs (not verified)

Linux & Mac

You might take a look at Xubuntu (my preferred install of the Ubuntu family). It'll even run on a dead badger. It's that good and easy to manage. Inertia and certain supported apps keep me using a Mac, but I do love my Xubuntu 'puter.

Fri, 2006-10-13 20:49 — wheat (not verified)

Same here...

I'm in exactly the same boat. No Vista for me. I'm jumping ship to Mac OX (or jumping back, really as I used it way back in the OS 7 days). I've already started picking out the apps I'll need and being able to dual boot to WinXP will take care of those cases where I still need a Windows install around.

Fri, 2006-10-13 04:53 — KSA213755 (not verified)

+1

The upcoming Vista release has motivated me to make the transition to linux as well. My wife and kids may complain a little at first, but I've been trying to wean everyone off Windows only programs for awhile now just to make the future transition easier. I don't have any desire to install Vista, in fact I mean not to.