ok my problem with windows XP is that M$ has obviously just stopped thinking about the users. Nobody wants to deal with Product Activation and in fact that prevented me from buying it. When it came out I would have bought it quickly to try it, but WPA prevented me from doing it. I bought a legit copy of win2k for the express reason that it had no copy protection, and wouldn't bitch when I installed it on my laptop. Does this make me a bad person? maybe, but I don't think so. Does this make me a software pirate? No. Software pirates are the 'bad' people that make millions of fake CDs and sell them as genuine. Would I have bought another copy of win2k to install on my laptop for $300? Prolly not. However I've recommended win2k to many others who have bought it, that wouldn't have otherwise. As I see it, I cost microsoft $300 (maybe, assuming I would've bought it) while making them $900+. And I'm happy.
Another thing is that 2k is MAYBE worth the $300. I have used WinXP Home and Pro, both coupled with Office XP, both on other peoples computers. And I hated it. I admit that I didnt have time to really use it much, but just setting up the computer out-of-box was awful. Every ten damn seconds I'd get a popup saying I needed a MS Passport, or some BS like that. And configuring the thing was worse, microsoft seems to have gone through the entire OS and replaced every normal config screen with a wizard. The sad thing is that it could be so much better with one simple feature addition:
a "**** Off" button
This button, when pressed would immediately dismiss whatever focus-stealing popup, animated character or wizard is currently being displayed and make it never come back ever again. This button would be used 50-300 times within the first day of use and then the user would be happy.
And yes I know there are apps that kill the wizards. And yes I know that you can hack it to uninstall MSN Messenger. But as I see it, I shouldnt have to hack an OS to make it work the way its supposed to. Win2k works. I put the CD in the drive and it loads, treating me like an intelligent user not some baby that needs animated dogs to help me along every step. The drivers work, it doesnt crash, and my apps run. I'm happy. As I see it, winXP/OfficeXP/IE6 are a step backwards. And I dont think its worth the downgrade.
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