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Science & Technology
Microsoft talks up new operating systems
2006-02-28
US-based computer software giant Microsoft has touted a new line-up of computer operating systems to become available later this year. According to the company, Microsoft's Windows Vista operating systems will come in six versions, two for businesses, three for residential users and one for emerging markets.
One more expensive than the other...
Vice president of Windows product management and marketing, Mike Sievert, says that a new systems is needed to accommodate the information-crammed digital world. "The PC needs to give people the clarity and confidence to handle this 'world of more' so they can focus on what's most important to them," Mr Sievert said. Microsoft contended the Vista line-up would enable users to easily accomplish tasks, find what they want, enjoy entertainment, stay connected at home or on the go and help ensure PCs run smoothly and securely. The number of versions is the same as Microsoft offered with its Windows XP operating systems. Vista operating software was scheduled to be available in the second half of 2006.
I'm in the middle of rediscovering the joy of *nix after a 15 or 20 year hiatus. I had to bump the server a minimum of once a week under Windows, and we've been ticking along for two weeks under the latest start. Windows retains a slight edge on the desktop. I can't see Excel ever being replaced. But I'll never run a Win web server again. It's not even all Microsoft's fault; the script kiddies just like them too much.
You will convert to a Mac someday ...
Posted by:Fred

#24  I'm going to be buying a new computer in the next couple of weeks, probably an HP. One of the first things I'm going to be doing is partitioning the hard drive into two segments, and creating a dual-boot capability with Windows XP Professional and Windows 98. I have a ton of software from my testing days that won't run on XP, but that I enjoy (a few games, lots of weird stuff that used to drive SCSI devices NUTS). I'm getting rather tired of Bill "I'm Great" Gates and his arrogance. At the same time, Linux still has bugs in it that affect much of the software I run. One of these days some nerdy kid in high school will write an operating system that will put Gates in the poor house. When that kid does that, I personally will laud his/her talents to the heavens!
Posted by: Old Patriot   2006-02-28 22:11  

#23  Everyone always overlooks the really important stuff.
Posted by: .com   2006-02-28 21:15  

#22  I always prefered Letus 123. Under 20 dollars on 3 5.25 disks.
Posted by: 6   2006-02-28 18:54  

#21  Screw Excel. It makes me nuts.

Lotus 1-2-3 is the only way to fly.
Posted by: Barbara Skolaut   2006-02-28 17:13  

#20  Considering Micro$oft's business practices, it ought to be filed under War On PC Users.
Posted by: BH   2006-02-28 14:58  

#19  This is about Microsoft Windows -- shouldn't this be filed under WOT?
Posted by: Darrell   2006-02-28 14:56  

#18  Those bastards! Somebody copyrighted Sonny Bono's work?
Posted by: Frank G   2006-02-28 12:56  

#17  Win2K was one of the finest Microsoft platforms ever produced. Redmond's abandonment of support for it is a slap in the face for all MS consumers. These constant moves designed to force user migration are milking the public like the last cow on the farm.

Somewhere, there is a special corner in hell awaiting Bill Gates where he will be obliged to perform fluid dynamic calculations* on an abacus.

* Fluid dynamic calculations model reactions such as a drop of dye dispersing in water. Some are so complex that a human being with a pencil and pad of paper could not complete a single one during an entire lifetime.
Posted by: Zenster   2006-02-28 12:38  

#16  Fred, do you have an opinion yet about gnumeric?
Posted by: Phil   2006-02-28 12:19  

#15  As a database guy, Excel users occasionally drive me bats. At least once a year one of my clients reinvents the relational database, proving Codd wasn't all that smart.

I haven't messed with the spreadsheets in Open Office much, but when I did, I didn't find anything approaching Excel's macro capability.

Open Office seems to have everything else covered, to include compatibility (though I couldn't get a Powerpoint presentation to play in it) except for a baby-simple desktop database like Access. An early version I used a few years ago had Adabas, which wasn't quite the ticket.

I consider Access to be one of the most under-rated tools ever, capable of much more than most organizations use it for, and much to be preferred over abortions like Powerbuilder. When I need a desktop application, that's usually what I use. Its advantage is that an inexperienced user can generate something using the wizards and the built-in stuff, while an expert can create a professional-level application that doesn't even resemble the wizard-generated stuff. If I ever have to build a desktop database application on Linux, I'll probably end up putting a web interface on it and running it from localhost.
Posted by: Fred   2006-02-28 11:53  

#14  Microsoft's Windows Vista operating systems will come in six versions, two for businesses, three for residential users and one for emerging markets.

And Seven for the Dwarf-lords in their halls of stone.
Posted by: BH   2006-02-28 10:03  

#13  Yes it is. Look at post 11's link and read item
Display: Prepare to feel the red mist of rage - no current TFT monitor out there is going to support high definition playback in Vista. You may already have heard rumblings about this, but here it is. To play HD-DVD or Blu-Ray content you need a HDCP compatible monitor. Why? Because these formats use HDCP to encrypt a video signal as it travels along a digital connection to an output device, to prevent people copying it. If you have just standard DVI or even an analogue output, you're going to see HD scaled down to a far-less-than-HD resolution for viewing - which sucks. This isn't really Microsoft's fault - HDCP is something that content makers, in their eternal wisdom, have decided is necessary to stop us all watching pirated movies. Yay.

But I see no reason why some smart programmers can't write an HD DVD ripper, decryptor and player software to bypass this.
Posted by: ed   2006-02-28 09:28  

#12  And doesn't the new OS intend to become the policeman for the entertainment industry? First an alliance of MS and the Chinese Communists and now an alliance with multi-billion dollars RICO babies*.


*Talk about corruption, see what the 'Sonny Bono Copyright Extension Act' did to your public domain, or make that former public domain. Brought to you by the most politicians that entertainment money could buy.
Posted by: Glaising Jinter9531   2006-02-28 09:08  

#11  Vista has huge hardware requirements and is not for upgraders. It is designed for multi core CPUs and 256MB 3D graphics cards. Here is list of Vista hardware requrements. The computer manufacturers are drooling over this.
Posted by: ed   2006-02-28 08:51  

#10  If it's badder, not better.
Don't bother to blather.
Posted by: Redneck Jim   2006-02-28 08:30  

#9  I have seen some truly unbelievable stuff in Excel that could have been done better and with 1/20th of the effort using a more appropriate tool

If anybody knew how to use the appropriate tool. But it would take 5x the effort to learn the approrpiate tool and create the solution. So, creating clunky solutions with Excel do make sense, though barely.

I have also seen better spreadsheets than Excel. But the training invested in the installed base is so great that a suboptimal technology will dominate for a long time to come. Sort of like the non-Dvorak keyboard you're using. Or the obtuse spelling of English. or...
Posted by: Nimble Spemble   2006-02-28 07:09  

#8  RD, better not let the Islamonutz see your comment. They'll think Windows is part Danish and go even crazier.

Sure hope it's better than Windows ME.
Posted by: Desert Blondie   2006-02-28 06:40  

#7  
Microsoft talks up new operating systems

LongHorn 10% Havarti + 90% Velveeta = best PC softfuel ever!
Posted by: RD   2006-02-28 02:06  

#6  Get readyto your replace your hardware too. It's MS way. Heheheh. For 99% of you desktop users Microsoft is good enough. My wife is using OS X at work and Linux at home. No more Microsoft personal PC's allowed in the house unless they dual boot and you fix them your own self. I decided in 2000 I was not going to spend my life working on machines for fools who think running a computer is like running a toaster Microsoft can keep catering to them.

All that said I go with what works for me. If MS does it cheaper and easier I'll use it. Usually that ain't the case for the things I want to do though.
Posted by: SPoD   2006-02-28 01:34  

#5  Without Microsoft, we wouldn't be hating it and developing other cool stuff. I'm excited!
Posted by: Huperesh Ebbineter8979   2006-02-28 01:27  

#4  My early take: more worthless junk, more lardy files.
Posted by: Captain America   2006-02-28 00:38  

#3  I use Open Office every day. Highly recommended. MS compatibility is pretty good.

Replacement of Excel is an issue, becuase of the abominations people use it for. I have seen some truly unbelievable stuff in Excel that could have been done better and with 1/20th of the effort using a more appropriate tool
Posted by: phil_b   2006-02-28 00:37  

#2  oops, that link should be www.openoffice.org
Posted by: CrazyFool   2006-02-28 00:13  

#1  Which is the almost useless version which OEMs will install on their products so the users has to go out and buy a usefull version? It is still called 'Home'?

Oh, and checkout OpenOffice 2.x. Its free, runs on multiple OSes (Linux / Solaris / Windows / Mac / etc...) and (mostly) Excel compatable...
Posted by: CrazyFool   2006-02-28 00:12  

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