What will Vista cost? Most likely your soul.
Typical Micr$haft modus operandi.
1. Build an operating system.
a. Spend a couple years with hundreds of patches, fixes and such.
2. Build a newer, faster and improved operating system
a. Add into it as much stolen ideas and features as others have developed for the previous operating system.
b. Spend a couple years with hundreds of patches, fixing security leaks ad infinitum.
3. Build a newer, faster and improved operating system.
a. Add into it as much stolen ideas and features as others have developed for the previous operating system.
b. Spend a couple years with hundreds of patches, fixing security leaks ad infinitum.
4. Build a newer, faster and improved operating system.
a. Stop all support of the first system.
b. Add stolen ideas and features from 3rd party developers.
c. Now that it has a monopoly, hook-wink various hardware developers into developing hardware that only supports the M$ operating system.
d. Make this newest op system a "do-all, for-all" everything in a box.
e. Spend a couple years fixing all the bells and whistles not to mention service packs, security upgrades.
This goes on and on .. They NEVER really get any of the op systems perfect. And after coming out with a "new and improved" system every couple years they drop support for the older ones a few versions back ..
Windows is in fact no longer JUST an operating system. It's an all-encompassing computer environment. This dedicated environment has become both a hardware and software monopoly. Of course now with HD and PVRs becoming more mainstream, the far-reaching grasp of the Gates empire is going after that as well. M$ doesn't WANT any competing PVR software or even hardware that is not running M$ software. Sorry folks .. it's world domination, like it or not. Billy has the clueless media and news world convinced that "his" is the only way to go. And with careful alignment with various hardware manufacturers, we will find that soon you won't be able to start your car unless it's Windows approved. (Umm, that's a little joke okay?) Replace the word "car" with "HD on your PC" to make it more of a real world scenario.
REAL operating systems like Unix, Linux and such really don't have a lot of bells and whistles. They are content to be clean and lean OPERATING SYSTEMS, and do that job well. (Unix far out dates Windows) They rely on third party software and hardware people to build equipment and software to work in that environment. Unfortunately said hardware and software developers also need to feed their families. So 90 percent of their products are built for the most popular operating system (sic) .. Windows.
It was a long hard battle .. but even Apple has gone over to the dark side.
Having said all that, I admit that I run the latest Windows op. system all the time. Why? Because it's where the rest of the world is gathering, (ie. software developers). I don't care for how M$ likes to take over other people's ideas and incorporate them into their supposed Operating System. But it IS really the only game in town if you want to enjoy the leading edge of computer technology. If I could run just half of my favorite utilities and programs on Linux, I'd jump ship in a heartbeat.
Where I draw the line is when the M$ empire starts telling me, "YOU can't do that on your computer unless you have MY latest operating system." And also somehow convinces media, government and the general public that it's their way or the highway. Anyone remember the government's involvement during the "browser wars"? If they didn't go after M$, you wouldn't be enjoying your Opera, or FireFox browsers right now. Not in the Windows environment anyway.
Be warned. The M$ empire is getting in bed with the media mongols. Audio / Video producers and network media entities are hearing all the right things from Microsoft as per Digital rights protection and such. Fair use issues are swept under the table. M$ tells the Blue-Ray and HD-DVD people that M$ is going to take care of them. And that's what they want to hear.
Yup, I can see the day coming. You turn the key in your car's ignition and a soothing female voice coming from your "windows approved radio" says, " Good morning. Please wait a moment while Windows upgrades your auto's operating system. This may require a re-start of your automobile. Have a nice day".
Nice day indeed.
<end rant>