Will Windows Vista Be the Boon Linux Needs to Take Over Desktops?
 

So here is my current line of thought:

Vista is going to be released soon with MSPP (Microsoft Software Protection Platform). This is basically an anti-piracy thing. Some estimate that half of all copies of Windows installed are pirated. Microsoft is losing money, so they are trying to crack down on non-legit copies of Windows.

I have never paid for a copy of Windows in my life, nor have most of the people I know. To me, the headaches I deal with as a result of Microsoft?s notoriously inferior products are payment enough. For once, it looks like Microsoft is actually going to force me to buy Windows if I want to use it. While I am confident that the hacking/cracking/warez community will deliver to me (as they always have before) a free and unencumbered installation of Windows with no purchase necessary, if they somehow fail to do so, I have already decided that I will not buy it and I will convert everything to Linux come hell or high water.

I wonder how many others are saying the same thing? There are plenty of people out there who have never paid for Windows. Will Vista drive these people from Windows to Linux? What impact would a market share shift of 10% have on Microsoft?

This should be very interesting, to say the least.

Thief. Software piracy is bad, okay?

yup, I am also eager to see what happens

some geek will find a WAY

I think it'll be quite a while before vista is widely accepted anyway, but we can only hope it helps out linux.

I have and you are a THEIF plain and simple. If it sucks so much why even bother with a pirated copy?


What a novel idea! Actually paying for something you use.

Good riddance to you. You dumb fuck piece of shit. How can you be in this business and endorse STEALING. What if all of YOUR content was stolen without paying for it? What if the person who stole it excuse was "You content was shit so I deserve to have it for free" would you be ok with that? Of course not. If I ran a sponsor program and you were an affiliate and I read this I would immediately terminate you account. Who knows what other shady things you endorse.

By the way Linux has been FREE for what, a decade or so. So you could have had a free copy this whole time. If it's so much better then why haven't you been using it so far? What has stopped you?

I have been using Ubuntu (Linux) for some time now and absolutely love it. It is not perfect, has the odd bug here and there but is usually fixed ASAP and best of all is FREE

i'll just ask BIll for copied cd...

I have run Fedora Core for a long time. I don't use windows.

Theft is theft, no matter your pithy justifications.

And you have the audacity to go apeshit over ePassporte?

Whatever happened with that lawsuit, tool?

Because I, to this point, have not gotten up enough drive to actually pull the trigger and make the switch. I threatened to do it several times, the last time was when I first saw that ugly interface that Windows XP has by default. It will be alot of effort, learning how to use new software (i.e. OpenOffice) as well as I use the M$ equivelents, learning how to secure it, learning how to upgrade it, customize it, manipulate it, adminster it. I have become pretty good at dealing with Windows when it shits itself over the years.

I was reading this over last night, and this is what got the wheels turning. I am well aware (or so I thought) of all the various issues M$ has with the way in which it handles itself and the products it makes. But I did learn a few things and it did connect a handful things that I previously didnt know and/or connect.


And for all of you decrying my so-called theft... I'd like to hear your justifications for your MP3 collections. And dont tell me you dont have MP3s...

cant wait to see what happens......:)

:1orglaugh If it sucks so badly why are you using it?

Why do people always choose linux instead of freebsd? During my non-windows desktop days, I found freebsd to be a lot easier to manage.

Like it's so fucking hard to download linux

Who did you threaten?

"Dear Mr Gates, improve Windows or I will switch to Linux and no longer use pirated copies of Windows."

It IS theft. Would you walk out of Wal-Mart with a copy of XP you didn't pay for? And no I do not have any illegal MP3s. If I did like a song I would buy it. If I can't afford 79¢ then I need to shoot myself in the head. In fact I pay for a Yahoo Music subscription.

Quit justifying your theft. If other people here smoked crack would you? There is no excuse for using a pirated copy. You are just pissed because MS just made it ahrder for you. if you don't like the prodcut or the price then go ahead and download your FREE and LEGAL copy of Linux. Your attitude has just insured that no one reading this will do business with you. If they do they deserve to get ripped off by you.

I don't have a single pirated MP3, pirated software or unlicensed anything.
Stealing is bad. :2 cents:

I'll switch my desktop to Linux as soon as it's good for something more than general personal use. Let's face it, GIMP isn't Photoshop and never will be. And that's just one example of many.

:jerkoff :jerkoff

Who fucking cares about your opinion of whether people will do business with me or not. Just about everyone on this board will do business with anyone willing to pay. I think you have this place confused with MySpace, where the name of the game is to blow as many people as possible. If someone is so petty that they wont do business with me because I refused to pay for Windows, then fuck them, I probably dont need whatever they are selling anyway.

I'm afraid its just a wee little bit more involved than that.

Mac has good graphics stuff, dont they? I havent checked out Mac since... what... 1992 or so? I need to go familiarize myself with them again... alot of people tell me that Macs are even better than Linux.

Listen dipshit. You have just admitted you would resort to stealing. So who is going to PAY you for anything or trust YOU to pay them? I wouldn't.
What, somone does some work for you and you come back with the "Your work sucks so I won't pay you, but I'll still use it" line?

Anyone here willing to do business with this loser? Anyone..........anyone?

Linux, FreeBSD, and just about everything else will not take over the desktops in more than likely any of our lifetimes.
It is what it is. Microsoft gained control and will maintain it. If not for any other reason than that people are just fucking lazy and do not desire to learn something new. That also happens to be the average customer.

Most of the US pirated copies are also not done through warez or any online medium. It is done by greedy piece of shit local stores and other PC retailers.

As for stolen mp3's or anything else. I have none, zero! Hell I do not even have an mp3 player aside from my pc and maybe my dvd player. Nor do I have any illegally ripped dvd's, or other software that was not paid for. I will admit I did download a warez copy of one program because the company offered no trial. It did what I needed so I then deleted it and bought my own copy.

Now onto ones reputation, it does matter more than one may think. Not everyone is the sheepish type and many have long memories. Nobody desires to know they are dealing with an admitted thief. It just never feels right regardless of any possible cash. Some of us do stick to our morals and do not cross them for cash.

It'll be cracked inside two weeks from release, if not sooner.