[Adama]

Hi guddguy and welcome to PCWorld. I don't know if you have been to a BestBuy store lately or not, but they do sell Apple computers there.

And CompUSA stores sells Apple computers as well. As a matter of fact, they have a rather large, nice area where people can look and shop at their leasure.

[TechyGuy]

Amen to that! Linux _pwns Windoze and Mac O$ by far.
!http://i213.photobucket.com/albums/cc146/Poindexter_Nerdstrom/vistasucks-1.jpg?t=1197087500!
(Sorry Mac OS fans, I couldn't help myself)

[JohnF]

I've seen the light...Microsoft is a bloated monopoly. WGA, DRM, updates to your system without your knowledge, upgrades to Office that break compatibility with your old documents, poor security, I'm tired of it.
Yes, I've made the leap to Linux. Now, I control, not Big Brother in Redmond. It's my software, not a lease. I can find thousands of free software packages, I don't worry about spyware/viruses, and my PC runs faster and almost never crashes. Linux has come a long way, you rarely have to use a terminal; there are fine distributions like PCLinuxOS, Linux Mint, Mandriva, etc (Ubuntu's fine, but you have choices!). Yes, Game support has a ways to go, but it's getting better, and the freedom you have is worth it.

[butterfly77049]

I never have a problem with activation, I always have a problem with the price! LOL.

[warrensburger]

Each new version of Windows creates a learning curve that is way too high for an upgrade of
the same OS. And I find that changes made are generally NOT user friendly nor made for the
users purpose. Then MS does seem to want to punish it's customers for using their product as
well as using customers as free beta-testers.
I now use Windows XP. My next OS will be a version of Linux as I refuse to use Windows
Vista.
I use computers to assist my productivity. If I used Windows Vista, I am convinced I would
suffer a severe productivity reduction.

[tanuki64050]

I won't buy a Mac - Linux for me. I'll give up MS for good, and made that resolution when first seeing XP's WGA. Right now 2000 Pro is fine.

[jdhawk]

Gee, what's the problem. You mean a company is actually trying to protect their hard earned intelectual property? How gauche!

Seriously, not all Microsoft and the thousands of independent software vendors' employees that have created wonderful applications that rely on the Windows platform are billionaires. These people are dependent for their living on software development. They have bills to pay, kids to buy braces for, etc. This is their livelihood.

Instead of whining about a slight inconvenince like WGA, people should have more respect for the people that make this all possible.

And, frankly, if you don't like it, quietly and without rancor move on to another platform.

[Archimedez]

WGA is an extremely poor execution of a really bad idea. As a PC "hobbyist", I upgrade my machines regularly. Which also means that I am forced to re-authenticate ALL the Microsoft software on each machine every time I upgrade any part of the machine.I plug in a video card: I have to re-enter the 25-character code for MS-Office, and Visual Studio, and Visio, and blahblahblah. At least I used. I no longer run MS-Office, or Visual Studio. I've moved to open-source. I also dumped. MS Project, and Visio for the same reason. Alas, I must admit that I foolishly installed Vista on top of a rock-solid XP x64 box. I subsequently encountered an average of 2 blue-scren-of-death events every day since Thanksgiving: ENOUGH! That box is being migrated to Gusty Gibbon as we speak; and Vista will become "shelfware". Screw Microsoft.

[RonHauser]

Microsoft doesn't get it! A lot of people are turning to Apple for their new computers. Maybe microsoft will wake up one day when no one is using their piece of sh*t software. Where can I sign up for this "Harrassment Lawsuit of microsoft"?

[ram1968]

I migrated from a Commodore 64 to a PC in 1988. For years I used DR DOS until Microsoft finally won me over with Windows 95. Over the last few years I have become increasingly frustrated with the Windows Way of sloppy software and blatant disregard for the user. Two months ago I bought an iMac. Oh boy! Two weeks later I purchased a MacBook.
Now I get what all the fuss was about. It isn't really about cooler design at all. Imagine my wonder at software that does what you expect it to do right out of the box without the need for almost daily updates! I didn't know a world existed where hardware installs require minutes instead of hours. Sometimes I just look at my Mac and muse, "That was so simple." Life is too short to own a PC. Thank you Microsoft for driving me away.

[ndking1126]

What a bunch of cry babies. In all my years of using Windows I've lost MAYBE 5 minutes of my life activating/authenticating Windows. Considering I've been using Microsoft since Windows 98, I really don't have a problem with them trying to protect their product. And if it cut down on piracy enough that they haven't had to (ie, chosen to) raise their prices then I'm actually glad they do it. Ahh!! I said it! I'm glad they do it. Did I forget to mention I've used Firefox multiple times and decided to stick with IE? You want to know somehting else? In all my years of using Windows, I've only had a problem with viruses once--I downloaded a zip file from a website I didn't know if I could trust. Obvoiusly I couldn't.. :8}
I'm not some Microsoft fanboy, I'm just realistic about things. If I had been part of the people that the glitch gave them a message that said I was using pirated software, then yes I would have been mad. There really isn't that much to be mad at when you sit back and actually look at the problems you've had. Don't believe all the hype on the internet about "Micro$haft".

As far as Ubuntu goes, I was excited to try it. I was all about free software (and still am). I installed it 2x (the most recently about 2 months ago) and with in a week, both times it quit booting because of video problems.. No thanks, at least Windows works.

Nathan

[Linuxuser]

The only reason anyone in our household uses Windows anymore is because some of the applications that Windows uses are needed by my kids for schoolwork that are assigned by blinkered automaton teachers in the schools. Even so, I "catch" my daughter using OpenOfficeorg instead of Word all the time. Open source is the way of the future.
The latest 7.10 Ubuntu is the easiest way to go, in my opinion. I installed it recently and am blown away with how easy it is to use, update and expand.
Just for kicks, I wanted to try and capture video from a camcorder on my Ubuntu box. I added a PCI Firewire port, and to my surprise, it worked instantly. As little as a few years ago, this would have been a major headache with Linux, but no more.
No one has any excuses for NOT trying Linux anymore - it's too easy to say NO to Windows these days.

[ogman]

Microsoft's corporate attitude and their disregard for the concerns of their customers got me to try Ubuntu. The quality of the Ubuntu OS has, in turn, caused me to convert most of my machines to Linux.

[Irisheagle]

it's funny you mention Ubuntu As i Also Downloaded that
Os just the other day. i'm curious as to it's ability to be
what i Need in an Os as well. Although i've been with windows
since 98se, i've tried other linux distributions and had trouble getting the
hang of it. maybe Ubuntu will make me a beleiver.



Here's Wishing everyone a

VERY MERRY Christmas
And
A HAPPY NEW YEAR

[rsmits]

I've always wanted to use an O.S. whose supplier respected my right to choose how MY computer worked, and didn't try to stuff unreliable, DRM laden, feature crippled bloatware down my throat.
I've switched all my four home computers, my work computer, my laptop and my wife's computer to OpenSuse Linux. I've been using Linux for two years now, and don't miss Windoze at all.
The few old files I need to look up can run legacy Windows stuff under CrossOver Linux, and the only reason I run antivirus and anti-spyware programs is to keep from passing anything along to my friends still stuck in Windoze.
There are very few people who NEED to run Windows - free yourself.

[mig3298]

This is issue is such a hassle. Msft has you verify your copy of everything it seems. I've had enough. I switched to Ubuntu Linux in April of 07 (completely!) and have not looked back.

Surfing the net has never been so easy. Oh, and the "eye candy" that Aero promises looks like child's play next to Ubuntu's "Visual Effects", now that's eye candy!

So much for protecting their software, well if they keep this up then users will continue to switch and msft will be left with no one to sell their overpriced, hole ridden software to. I say to all, make the switch, Windows is not the only option.

[ernliz]

I don't get it! All this whining about a company's attempt to protect its bottom line is ridiculous. WGA minimizes piracy, it's not THAT intrusive, and and it works! I think most of those whining would do all they could to use an "illegal" copy of Windows and still gripe about its "faults." Back in the Windows 95, 98, ME days, I noticed copies of those OSs being exchanged everywhere. Is this what you wet-nurse babies want with XP and Vista? If yes, then maybe you deserve to switch. Good riddance.

[MildUser]

We know that IP rights is a big issue and money spiner, especially to those with big stake in it. You may be the innovator of some killer app but no takers, you done with. Say, somehow your lousy software become a hit and hot, u be interested to protect ur IP. That's where pirates become an issue. You call them pirates, and they call you monopolists, opportinists, greedy pigs, blood suckers, etc. Now, let's be level headed. No one is whinning and no one is a cry babies. ndking 1126 may be one of those lucky few who somehow are spared the pain on WGA. The complaints are from the good guys and not the pirates. The pirates don't give a damned about WGA issues. They have other better things to do. Like the hackers, they are way ahead of MS. They are not a bit bothered by MS antics. So leave them alone. The argument that pirates are the cause of high softwares prices need some rethinking. Foolish people make wild generalization. I'll leave it at that.

[ogman]

ernliz - That statement is false. WGA does not work and WGA does NOT prevent piracy. In 5 minutes I can go out and find a working copy of XP and/or Vista that will pass WGA. All WGA does is irritate the honest customer, who has to wait for for activation when they want a simple download. In fact, as happened to me a couple of months ago, sometimes WGA doesn't work on legitimate copies of Microsoft's software.

That was when I decided to check out a new OS for my work machines. I don't need the unnecessary hassle when I'm trying to get things done. In fact, since I got rid of Microsoft products on those machines, they are more productive. No more having to fix Office so it works like every other Office product, without proprietary file types and screwed up templates. No more crashing XP, sluggish Vista, or buying new hardware to make the software work. I'm saving money and I'm productive again. So I guess, in a way, WGA turned out to be a good thing. It gave me the push I needed to finally move away from bad, expensive software to cheap/free productive software.

[rsmits]

Ernliz, you're wrong. I don't care that proprietary software companies like Microsoft use copy protection, I care that WGA often doesn't work, or labels you as a pirate when you're using completely legit software you've purchased. When a software vendor assumes that I'm a thief because their FAULTY software falsely labels me one, not only do I say they're wrong, but I stop buying anything from them at all. Especially when they are convicted of anti-competitive monopolistic practices that prevent a level playing field for all software companies.

Of course, Microsoft isn't used to competing on the merits of their software, and it's hard for them to understand that users don't want DRM laden bloatware that runs far more slowly than if it didn't try to enforce corporate monopolies. As Bob Dylan said, "the times they are a changin".