OS WARS MEGA THREAD (Now debating proprietary vs. open-source!)

[Hielor]

I'm still running stuff that was published in 1998. It was the "intended purpose" of Program Files changing from version to version that breaks them, not their failure to "follow conventions" -- unless you have a time machine for the developers, that is

The per-user application data folder was introduced in Windows 98: [ame="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Special_Folders"]Special Folders - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia[/ame]

That said, I agree that it is because of legacy apps that the decision to make the program files directory read-only (and virtualize document writes there) was a bad one.

 

[Linguofreak]

It's nice that you think that... but you're wrong, windows is still far better than other OSs for gaming... :dry:

Only because its existing market dominance means that big-name games released for the PC tend to be released for Windows only. For those titles that actually get ported (or released for something other than Windows in the first place), other OS's are quite competitive with Windows. In fact, for the games that I have for both Linux and Windows, my Linux laptop tends to outperform our beefier Windows desktop (although it's not really Windows' fault: The Windows machine has an ATI card, games that aren't released exclusively for Windows tend to use OpenGL, and ATI drivers have crappy OpenGL support. But Windows certainly doesn't have any advantage when it comes to cross platform games either).

 

[Hielor]

Only because its existing market dominance means that big-name games released for the PC tend to be released for Windows only. For those titles that actually get ported (or released for something other than Windows in the first place), other OS's are quite competitive with Windows. In fact, for the games that I have for both Linux and Windows, my Linux laptop tends to outperform our beefier Windows desktop (although it's not really Windows' fault: The Windows machine has an ATI card, games that aren't released exclusively for Windows tend to use OpenGL, and ATI drivers have crappy OpenGL support. But Windows certainly doesn't have any advantage when it comes to cross platform games either).

DirectX. Windows has it, Linux doesn't.

 

[Linguofreak]

DirectX. Windows has it, Linux doesn't.

Of course. It's a proprietary Microsoft API, and Microsoft has enough of a monopoly that portability isn't a big concern for a lot of game programmers. Let *any* other OS gain enough market share that portability becomes a concern, and suddenly you'll see a lot more games programmed in OpenGL, and then *every* other OS will show its true competitiveness with Windows for gaming (some may, indeed, not be that good, some may prove better).

Having the market cornered hard enough that you can make life difficult for anyone using a competing product does not make your product automatically superior.

 

[Wishbone]

Okay, "see a fire - bring more oil", or so they say. Need a piece of OS advice, folks. What is the best Linux distribution for a small Atom-based netbook? Best in terms of low CPU load, that is. So far I've downloaded Fuduntu, but am open to other suggestions.

 

[FADEC]

It's nice that you think that... but you're wrong, windows is still far better than other OSs for gaming... :dry:

Which has no effect to people who don't play on a computer at all. And if one plays on a computer, it depends on the games one likes to play. The retro games I prefer also run in MacOS and Linux for example. And people who are using X-Plane instead of MS FS don't depend on Windows.

The only thing that keeps me using Windows XP (I have no use for Win7 at all) is FS9, Orbiter and SSMS. And it's not because of Windows. It's solely because developers are not willing to offer products on more OSs than just on Windows. Laminar Research is an exception in the flight sim market.

The only problem with Microsoft is they just have no taste. They have absolutely no taste. And I don't mean that in a small way, I mean that in a big way, in the sense that they don't think of original ideas, and they don't bring much culture into their products.

Steve Jobs, Apple

 

[RS-232]

There is a freeware tool that could be useful for comparing folders and files even if different in names and dates:

http://www.clonespy.de/?Features

---------- Post added at 10:29 ---------- Previous post was at 10:19 ----------



My old BartPE Boot CD doesn't work anymore on my new Win7 PC. I had to create a new multiboot USB key with a new set of tool , programs & OS (image, recovery, linux, etc.).

In that case you would go into CMOS/BIOS and boot from CD-ROM FIRST Then USB and HDD third. Put winxp cd in drive boot with external drive plugged in let xp load setup and simply choose the USB drive as main drive win xp setup will take care of the rest. Once xp has installed making sure there are no hardware conflicts you then go back into CMOS/BIOS and return it to USB first,CD-ROM second and HDD first. I think it is the better solution as it does not mess with main HDD at all plus you now have a portabilty factor you can now carry your work to and from office to home for example

 

[orbekler]

In that case you would go into CMOS/BIOS and boot from CD-ROM FIRST Then USB and HDD third. Put winxp cd in drive boot with external drive plugged in let xp load setup and simply choose the USB drive as main drive win xp setup will take care of the rest. Once xp has installed making sure there are no hardware conflicts you then go back into CMOS/BIOS and return it to USB first,CD-ROM second and HDD first. I think it is the better solution as it does not mess with main HDD at all plus you now have a portabilty factor you can now carry your work to and from office to home for example

No, unfortunately it's not a problem of bootable device order: it's just that portable XPs don't work anymore on certain type of CPUs, so I had to move to WinPe 3 and Linux, that are compatible (XP crashes the system). The USB key is just more practical, and tha addition of multiboot Grub4dos lets you choose the proper tool /OS when required.

 

[Quick_Nick]

O-F Staff Note: four posts moved here from the Microsoft Flight Megathread.

----------

It was an awful game in a line of bad MS products. If they at least kept the Sim team simultaneously, they might be okay.
I hope they learn something before releasing Windows 8.

 

[mojoey]

Win8 will be horrible. The new 'Metro' theme, that they imposed on Xbox users late last year is dreadful. Microsoft is slowly de-evolving into a horrible company.

 

[Quick_Nick]

I don't understand how such a large company can maintain bad employees for so long. There's a pattern of bad ideas that seem like they must be caused by a specific group of people who can't seem to be fired...

 

[Hielor]

Win8 will be horrible. The new 'Metro' theme, that they imposed on Xbox users late last year is dreadful. Microsoft is slowly de-evolving into a horrible company.

We're getting rather fftopic: here, but the Metro theme in Win8 doesn't suck too much when you're using a tablet or touch laptop.

 

[Urwumpe]

Win8 will be horrible. The new 'Metro' theme, that they imposed on Xbox users late last year is dreadful. Microsoft is slowly de-evolving into a horrible company.

I can't wait to have the metro theme on an integrated system with 23" touch screen display.

http://shop.lenovo.com/deweb/DE/de/learn/products/desktops/ideacentre/b-series/b520/index.html

Something like this... maybe nothing you would call high-performance, but it permits even some CAD work, as I experienced with the older models.

 

[Alfastar]

We're getting rather fftopic: here, but the Metro theme in Win8 doesn't suck too much when you're using a tablet or touch laptop.

I agreed with that total, but Windows 8 sale focus is more on non-touch laptops and Desktops, and not tablets ect. (Where Windows 8 is much better to use then on a Laptop or Desktop)

If I will a OS for me desktop, then I will not a OS what is annoying to use, and not a stupid Metro design where I can annoying me hours and hours also.

There are more arguments for me to stay by Windows 7 then buy and use Windows 8 when it is release. I simple don't will all crappy stupid pseudo-useful stuff on me Desktop.

 

[Spacethingy]

Can you turn Metro off? Or is that like saying 'can you turn Unity off' in Ubuntu?

I utterly detested all that new stuff they did to the taskbar in Win7, but then forgave 'em as I could easily get it back to XP-style again by fiddling with the settings.

 

[Urwumpe]

Can you turn Metro off? Or is that like saying 'can you turn Unity off' in Ubuntu?

I utterly detested all that new stuff they did to the taskbar in Win7, but then forgave 'em as I could easily get it back to XP-style again by fiddling with the settings.

Yes. You get to a classic WIndows 7 desktop from Metro anyway, for all non-Metro applications.

 

[Artlav]

Can you turn Metro off? Or is that like saying 'can you turn Unity off' in Ubuntu?

Ubuntu is a bad comparison, since there you can turn anything on or off, even if it's hardcoded.

Windows - not so much.
Either we get used to the Metro stuff (think ribbons in Office - everyone hated them, then got used to them), or Metro stuff won't last, like Bob or WinME.

That said, i still haven't seen the OEM of Win8, so it might be worse than that or better.
But if Windows Phone of latest Nokias is anything to gauge by, it's going to be horrible.

 

[orb]

Can you turn Metro off? Or is that like saying 'can you turn Unity off' in Ubuntu?

You can't turn off Unity in Ubuntu? I thought it's just a shell and not integral part of the system. You install another one and change the X session which is run by default (or set it per user). You can also change the display manager if Ubuntu's display manager allows only to choose Unity. Aren't there XDM, KDM, GDM, LXDM, etc. you can install (and if not in distro, then build from sources and install)?

 

[Urwumpe]

But if Windows Phone of latest Nokias is anything to gauge by, it's going to be horrible.

Can't say what the problem there is, the Windows Phone Samsung of my coworkers works pretty fine and the GUI really makes sense there.

Maybe it is a matter of taste, but I find actually the Metro design a bit better than the Android widgets.

 

[Artlav]

Can't say what the problem there is, the Windows Phone Samsung of my coworkers works pretty fine and the GUI really makes sense there.

Maybe it is a matter of taste, but I find actually the Metro design a bit better than the Android widgets.

Can't say if its actually Metro's fault or not. Interface is kind of like yet another phone interface - it does not get in the way much and you can get your bearings quite easily.

The problem is, all the apps want to know the location. The location is acquired over the internet. The internet was defaulted to WAP at something like $1 per 4Kb.
The phone in question belonged to my brother's wife, and ate half-a-whale of money before she got it to me for decontamination.

And here comes the problem - you can't just turn it all off!
The central switches for location asking are non-functional, the prohibit data connection buttons only affect the browser, erasing the settings is no solution since she wants MMS capability. I had to go through al the apps separately and turn off their location asking features on the spot.

In Android you have a GPRS on/off button that works and is accessible from a slide down menu.
On older Windows CE you have data transfer button in a nice connections menu that also works.

So, who's more user friendly?
A designey interface is worth nothing if it does not even do what it says on the tin.