terry mcintyre wrote:
> --- Don Dailey <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> wrote:
>
>
>> FYI,
>>
>> Doesn't seem to be a problem on linux Ubuntu Gutsy
>> Gibbon.
>>
>
> Perhaps folks should upgrade from Windoze to Linux?
>
All jokes aside, I know several people who decided to switch - the
deciding factor was VISTA, and the dread of yet another round of
expensive investments and upgrades and this general distaste of feeling
like a sucker for Microsoft.
Having said that, my own wife won't switch even though she has a built
in support staff (me.) So I just bought her a vista laptop and she
likes it. Her frustration tolerance is low - she doesn't want to go
through the learning curve of a completely new OS and she would have
preferred XP but we got this laptop at a very good price and only Vista
was available. She is normally a logical and rational person, she
doesn't shop based on name brands, fads or irrational loyalties. In
other words, she has no particular loyalty to Microsoft.
I like to believe I am the same way, but no matter what you think, the
reasons we do things and make certain choices are often based on a
substantial amount of irrationality. I just saw Mark Boons message
about Mac's.
Before you read on - here is my disclaimer: You might be offended!
Please don't be. I'm just expressing how I feel about things and you
can feel free to make your own post and I won't be offended! So there!
I think Macs are a great platform, in many ways better than Linux.
This is where pragmatism comes in for me. I'm not a zealot for
Linux, but you take any piece of hardware and install Linux for
free. If I were writing commercial software for a living, I would
probably be developing on Windows, but other than that there is no
compelling reason whatsoever to even consider Windows, a proprietary,
buggy, virus prone OS that must be frequently reinstalled. I see
my windows friends who are experts at installing and reinstalling
windows and the constant angst they feel over this, they know how to
circumvent Microsoft restrictions on the OS THEY PAYED FOR. But they
are in a silent battle constantly with Microsoft doing illegal things
behind their backs. With Linux you have a copy of Linux and you
install it anywhere, anytime you like and you don't have to feel guilty
about it. And you can get a shiny brand new copy every few months
(depending on which Linux distribution you use.)
If it were between MAC and Windows, it's an easy choice, but Mac is
still proprietary, which means it's pricey although I think I agree it
is superior to Linux in many ways. (I say "I think" because I have
only had limited exposure, but I like what I saw.) In particular,
the user interface and the directory layouts with Mac is very appealing
and much more logical than Unix in general (even though Mac is Unix.)
But I have to say something about the MAC commercials. I find them
incredibly offensive (like so many other commercials that play on your
fears and treat us like we are incredible stupid and cannot see what
they are trying to do.) They show a stodgy, somewhat older man who
represents Microsoft along with a "cool" younger, thinner and better
looking man who represents Macs. The Microsoft man is a bit of a
dullard while the Mac guy is super-cool and progressive and clearly has
it together.
What is particularly ironic, is that the type of people who would
succumb to such an advertisement (by buying a Mac), is probably best
portrayed by the dullard, the guy in the commercial who obviously isn't
thinking for himself. Makes me want to puke!
Of course this is standard survival tactics for businesses. You really
see this with automobile commercials too. I laugh every time one of
the commercials either tell you outright, or imply that you are a
special and unique type of person (who thinks for yourself) if you buy
their automobile. It's very bizarre that REALLY they are appealing
to the hive mentality after all, because you will notice that people
who try to stand out, do the same things. In the 60's it was long
hair - supposedly to make you "stand out" as different, but EVERYONE
started growing their hair long back then, presumably so they could
stand out too!
I think Microsoft tries to appeal more directly to the "hive
mentality", you should do it because everybody else does it. They
can't begin to pretend that it makes you different even though it make a
great ad, but you can be sure they would if they were in the
minority. So they directly go for the "jump on the bandwagon" type
of thing. Fear of being left behind, everyone else is getting cool
toys while you are left out in the cold because you didn't buckle under
to them. They take technology that has been around for a long time,
and tell you it's brand new cutting edge "innovative" stuff. And it
IS innovative to most people because they only know Microsoft and
Microsoft didn't have that before. So they think Microsoft gave them
something because they cared about you and will take care of you.
Ok, did I offend anybody? I'm sorry! I love you all.
- Don
> <ducking real quick>
>
>
>> Jacques Basaldúa wrote:
>>
>>> Hi David
>>>
>>>
>>>
> http://www.cs.ualberta.ca/~silver/research/publications/files/MoGoNectar.pdf
>
>>> Your paper has a PDF problem concerning "embedded
>>>
>> font BXGQFO+CMR12".
>>
>>> I have used
>>> different versions of Adobe Reader. I even updated
>>>
>> one of the
>>
>>> computers to the latest version
>>> and I still cannot read any mathematical
>>>
>> expressions. I guess this
>>
>>> applies to all Windows users.
>>>
>>>
>
>
> Terry McIntyre <[EMAIL PROTECTED]>
>
> “Wherever is found what is called a paternal government, there is found state
> education. It has been discovered that the best way to insure implicit
> obedience is to commence tyranny in the nursery.”
>
> Benjamin Disraeli, Speech in the House of Commons [June 15, 1874]
>
>
>
> ____________________________________________________________________________________
> You rock. That's why Blockbuster's offering you one month of Blockbuster
> Total Access, No Cost.
> http://tc.deals.yahoo.com/tc/blockbuster/text5.com
> _______________________________________________
> computer-go mailing list
> computer-go@computer-go.org
> http://www.computer-go.org/mailman/listinfo/computer-go/
>
>
_______________________________________________
computer-go mailing list
computer-go@computer-go.org
http://www.computer-go.org/mailman/listinfo/computer-go/
