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Posted by foo fighter on 06-08-2001 09:45 PM:

Check out this article on the latest build of Windows XP:

http://www.theregister.co.uk/content/4/19573.html

I have to say, I'm using the much earlier beta 2 build (2462), and the "modifications" introduced in these more recent builds mentioned in this article are shocking. Microsoft is going to sink its claws into Windows users like never before. Between the licensing scheme, Product activation, Hailstorm, and .NET, I'm starting to rethink my stance on the breakup issue. This is just a tad scary!

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Posted by bblue on 06-08-2001 10:11 PM:

Jeez!

The more I hear about Windows XP, the more and more thankful I am that I use an OS Platform where I can make my decisions for MYSELF. The fact WMP gets in the way like that is what I would call unnaceptable. They're limiting important functionality for security I have no need for. (I WANT to share my audio files!)

At least here in the Apple world I can use email without Outlook. (Mail RULES!) I can type a document without Microsoft Word. (ClarisWorks!!!) I can make a useful presentation (Hyperstudio, no matter what you say, will always be my favorite! ) And finally, I can play Mp3's however I WANT to play them.

When will the rest of the world learn that features off a check list does not equal good software?

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Posted by foo fighter on 06-08-2001 10:17 PM:

Scary!

What really scares the holy living crap out of me is that Microsoft is building its MSN services EVERYWHERE throughout the new user interface. For example, when you open the "My Music" folder, there is a link on the sidebar that says "Shop for music online". When you click on that link, it takes you to..you guessed it..WindowsMedia.com. If you open the "My Pictures" folder, you are presented with a link to "Order prints from the internet", which takes you to yet another MSN service site. I can't understand why anti-trust litigators haven't jumped on this already? Are they unaware of this?

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Posted by homer on 06-08-2001 10:22 PM:

quote:
At least here in the Apple world I can use email without Outlook. (Mail RULES!) I can type a document without Microsoft Word. (ClarisWorks!!!) I can make a useful presentation (Hyperstudio, no matter what you say, will always be my favorite! ) And finally, I can play Mp3's however I WANT to play them.

For the record, you can do all of that on Windows, too.

Microsoft does do some great things with their OS. Unfortunately, they do them very casually and extremely carelessly.

I won't be upgrading to Windows XP anytime soon...mainly because I'm having a tough enough time with a '98 and 2K machine in the office behaving with each other, but also because I am very much against a lot of the new features in XP. They are clearly added to favor Microsoft, NOT the user.

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Posted by foo fighter on 06-08-2001 10:24 PM:

Another "fun" feature is that you CAN'T uninstall either the Windows Media Player, or MSN Messenger. They are now "built-in" to the OS. Yeah right! More like hidden within the registry. Shame on Bill.

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Posted by Gameboy70 on 06-08-2001 10:51 PM:

Microsoft might be mercenary, but not stupid. They have a history of dropping their more drocanian protection schemes when consumer backlash outweighs the company's marketing. They're gauging the public's threshold of tolerance. I doubt the compulsory product activation will last. For this and many other reasons, which have been chronicled in the Register, XP has been totally unappealing for me from day one.

I'd be interested to know how WMP will distinguish between a free MP3 file released on an artist's website, an MP3 ripped off a CD from the user's own collection (e.g. almost all my MP3s; I rarely download them, since I'm on a dial-up connection), and an unauthorized commercial MP3. It looks as is MS intends to become the premier clearinghouse for digital rights management.

Fortunately, it's a free market, and we don't need Windows XP, Windows Media Player, or even Windows.

Posted by foo fighter on 06-08-2001 10:56 PM:

quote:
Originally posted by Gameboy70
Fortunately, it's a free market, and we don't need Windows XP, Windows Media Player, or even Windows.

I've been on the fence for quite a while as to whether or not I will switch to a Mac. Microsoft is making that decision a little easier.

OS X seem to be shaping up into a stellar OS! Maybe I should give Microsoft the middle finger salute...

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Posted by ashmed on 06-08-2001 11:08 PM:

I just signed up for the Preview Program. I think spending $10 now for XP will help me decide whether or not I should invest the full $90 when it actually comes out. I admit that some of this stuff MS is doing is scary.. But I think we'll all end up liking it somewhere down the road.

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Posted by bblue on 06-09-2001 01:31 AM:

The reason I speak out about the evils of Windows so much, is that the period I used Windows before I went back to Mac was so terrible.

I bought a copy of VPC soon after because I felt nervous that after the iMac & iBook's popularity died out, Apple would soon be history.

Turns out I was wrong. I bought OSX the first day it came out. It took me a week to warm up to it and get used to the uh... complete re-organization of my hard drive.

But Apple CLEARLY has the right idea. OSX is nothing short of a 1st class OS. I'm running it with half the memory I should be running it with (usually a death sentance!) but I have yet to witness a single crash! (BSOD for Windows users!) The interface is superior to everything, and Apple even includes developer software, which tells you something. This OS was built for the CONSUMER's preference, NOT the company's. (Microsoft... ahem.)

I think it's funny, that Apple in a "legal" way promotes the Mp3 file (look at their ads!), and even gives you 20 megs of disk space to share them. Windows XP, on the other hand... uh...

----

P.S. I really don't think you can run your Mac without Quicktime. But don't get me wrong, it's not obtrusive like WMP is, and is extremely flexible. (I use 3rd party mp3 playing software. (well, iTunes.) QT never gets in the way!)

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Posted by bkbk on 06-09-2001 04:59 AM:

I think XP will be a big boost to Linux.

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Posted by bblue on 06-09-2001 05:16 AM:

quote:
Originally posted by bkbk
I think XP will be a big boost to Linux.

That and OSX. If only Linux was useable as a Desktop OS....

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Posted by bkbk on 06-09-2001 05:46 AM:

I'd give the dog to Sting, and name him "Stingo." (But only if he agreed to get back together w/the Police for at least 1 more studio album!)

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Posted by bblue on 06-09-2001 07:28 AM:

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Posted by Toby on 06-09-2001 03:13 PM:

quote:
Originally posted by bblue

Look at your sig.

Posted by dick-richardson on 06-09-2001 04:33 PM:

quote:
Originally posted by bblue
...It took me a week to warm up to it and get used to the uh... complete re-organization of my hard drive...

OS 9.1 does something very similar. For a good time, do a system "restore in place" from 9.1 to 9.0, and then download and reinstall 9.1. Happy hunting to find all duplicate files.

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Posted by bblue on 06-09-2001 06:51 PM:

Oh, that's it. Congratulations!

---

Is it 9.1 that re-arranges your entire HD? Boy I hated that!

I really should have partitioned my Hard Drive. (Of course, you know if I really would have done that I would be regretting it in some form!)

Oh well. The new arrangement is a little less friendly, but OSX seems to do a stupendous job of making the transition easy!

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Posted by JHromadka on 06-09-2001 08:04 PM:

There is no way that I would install WinXP on my home machines in its present form. From product activation to MP3 shenanigans to Smart Tags, I'm starting to wonder what's actually good about XP.

I've been warning my friends about the gotchas that XP brings, and I think MS is going to see a lot of home users sticking with 98 or 2K, or even switching to the Mac.

I've been ripping some of my CDs with iTunes so I can listen to my music while on my flight to PC Expo. It would really piss me off if I couldn't do that on XP.

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Posted by foo fighter on 06-09-2001 08:23 PM:

quote:
Originally posted by JHromadka
I've been warning my friends about the gotchas that XP brings, and I think MS is going to see a lot of home users sticking with 98 or 2K, or even switching to the Mac.

I hope for Microsoft's sake they don't discontinue Windows 2000 Professional upon XP's release. This could be a huge marketing disaster!

It's hard to say what impact this will have on the PC industry, but I'll bet money that XP will not save the PC market as some retailers and analysts are hoping. When XP hits the market in October, consumers will walk right past the PC isles at Best Buy and Circuit City, and go straight for the X-Box.

quote:
I've been ripping some of my CDs with iTunes so I can listen to my music while on my flight to PC Expo. It would really piss me off if I couldn't do that on XP.

In cozying up to the RIAA, Microsoft is apparently selling all our asses down the river with this new digital copyright protection scheme. And in return, the RIAA will support Microsoft's WMA (windows media audio) format. WMP 8 will no longer allow MP3 format audio, and will place limitations on which audio files you can or can't copy.

Too bad the Appeals Court will likely let Microsoft off the hook, and go right back to business as usual...attempting to kill RealNetworks and Palm!

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Posted by akur on 06-09-2001 08:37 PM:

I think all of you misunderstood about WMP 8 and MP3 ripping ability. This is quote from winsupersite.com
"Rip high-quality MP3s in Windows Media Player 8

The relationship between Windows Media Player 8 and the MP3 audio format is widely misunderstood. Basically, WMP8 will be able to playback MP3 files, but encoding (or "ripping") CD audio into MP3 format will require an MP3 plug-in. So during the Windows XP beta, Microsoft is supplying a sample MP3 plug-in for testing purposes."

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Posted by Matthew Nichols on 06-09-2001 09:31 PM:

My next computer (Which will be a laptop) is definetly going to be a Mac. Using Palm OS, and other devices, has taught me not everything has to be Microsoft and often if it isn't it works better.

Still, I enjoy Win2k and agree that they should continue it. I've got WindowsBlinds so I can skin away the interface, why would I want XP?

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