I have given up with Windows

[DavidLeblond]

Again ditto. I have about 6 users in our office that have to research companies and sometimes they go out to somewhat sketchy sites to gather info. Time and again I have to clean their systems even with spybots active scanning tech. A couple of times I've had to redo their computer because the ad/spyware got so bad.
I finely said screw it and installed FireFox across the board and asked them to purely use FireFox from now on with the exception of some of the in house apps based out of corp that only work with Imploder.

Since that time ZERO. Zip. NATTA. No adware. I've had people come up to me and tell me why Firefox is such a big deal and that its not that much better then IE. And time and again I tell them they are full of crap. I work with these apps. I see what does and doesn't work and IE is a festering POS that needs to be staked through the heart. Too bad corp won't give me the auth to roll it out office wide.

I wonder what Spyware rates would be like using the IE in SP2 with MS's new popup blocker? I'm afraid to find out, besides I'm quite happy with my tabbed browser and all of my firefox extensions.

I wonder if they'll ever get around to putting tabs into IE 7? I'd like to play with a beta of it, but it don't seem to exist yet. MS better get their stuff in gear, I know more and more people going to Firefox.

 

[earthtoandy]

why IE hasnt got tabbed browsing yet is the biggest mystery in the world. hell safari took what? one or two beta versions before they realized people demanded the tabbed browsing?

firefox is hands down the best browser...i love it and 1.0PR is the best version yet. Addressed all the things I wanted. nice to see even places like colleges suggesting the use of firefox...places that use to be diehard on IE. The tides are changing.

 

[grapes911]

I wonder what Spyware rates would be like using the IE in SP2 with MS's new popup blocker? I'm afraid to find out, besides I'm quite happy with my tabbed browser and all of my firefox extensions.

I wouldn't risk it...

I wonder if they'll ever get around to putting tabs into IE 7? I'd like to play with a beta of it, but it don't seem to exist yet. MS better get their stuff in gear, I know more and more people going to Firefox.

... and I wouldn't count on it.

 

[grapes911]

nice to see even places like colleges suggesting the use of firefox...places that use to be diehard on IE.

At the University of Delware, we have our on windows build of Mozilla.

 

[Apple Hobo]

why IE hasnt got tabbed browsing yet is the biggest mystery in the world.

No mystery at all: IE is just a big, festering pile of sh*t.

 

[Roger1]

This is a really important thing. Many people install things esp patches with out shutting everything else down. Antivirus is a big one. So many people keep norton or others open and install patches. This is a big reason why people's windows crash after updates.

I've had a machine get infected with a worm, while downloading from the MS website. A brand new machine right out of the box (this being the first website to be visited, beside Nortons website). I had the AV installed and it caught it while downloading the windows updates

I have 2 machines running xp. The first I bought with xp preinstalled. I've never had any issues with it. The other, I built myself. I've had to install xp twice in the last 6 months, due to numerous BSOD's. Turns out that my burner is going bad, causing issues. I took out the burner, reinstalled everything except the burner, and it runs flawlessly. I installed SP2 and it installed without a problem. Guess I'm lucky

 

[bdomz]

I haven't rebuilt my PC since I put it together almost a year ago (WXP Pro), and it's just as fast as it ever was....which is very! (3GHz, 1GB, 9800, SATA). I have never had a BSOD. Buy good hardware, not cheap sh*t, make sure it is all fully compatible, and has proper XP drivers, and you won’t have problems….oh, and don’t use IE!!!

I've built several PC's myself and I'm very anal about my computers. That being said I also have several other people in my household and you'd be amazed at how easily windows gets screwed up when multiple users are surfing the net, installing programs etc. . . . Using Firefox does help alot and has cut my spyware to nil. I never really had any major issues with Windows XP until I got rid of my desktop and switched over to notebooks only. I have a Dell and an IBM notebook now and both run reasonably well but require a heck of alot of maintenance on my part. I even had one instance where the OS corrupted and I lost all my data. Plus using wireless internet with XP is flaky, signals get dropped randomly and I've talked to several people online who have similar problems with pretty much any configuration of router/wireless card.

 

[SiliconAddict]

If it isn't pre-installed, it's not out of the box

And your point? You are never going to get an alternative browser preinstalled "out of the box" The fact is if people push how craptastic IE is. People will simply go to spreadfirefox.org and download it when they get a new computer. If they don't. Well then good luck in 3 weeks when your computer is festering with ad/spyware.

 

[SiliconAddict]

Plus using wireless internet with XP is flaky, signals get dropped randomly and I've talked to several people online who have similar problems with pretty much any configuration of router/wireless card.

Don't use XP's zero wireless zero config. Its the buggiest POS I've ever seen. Use whatever utils come with the W-NIC.

 

[SiliconAddict]

I wonder what Spyware rates would be like using the IE in SP2 with MS's new popup blocker? I'm afraid to find out, besides I'm quite happy with my tabbed browser and all of my firefox extensions.

I wonder if they'll ever get around to putting tabs into IE 7? I'd like to play with a beta of it, but it don't seem to exist yet. MS better get their stuff in gear, I know more and more people going to Firefox.

If we are to believe MS, , IE 7 will only be available for Longhorn. MS doesn't want to make their browser backwards compatible with their "old" OS's.
Expect this attitude to change now that FireFox is on the scene. Don't you just love competition? Too bad the only real way to compete with MS is to give your software away for free.

 

[DavidLeblond]

If we are to believe MS, , IE 7 will only be available for Longhorn. MS doesn't want to make their browser backwards compatible with their "old" OS's.
Expect this attitude to change now that FireFox is on the scene. Don't you just love competition? Too bad the only real way to compete with MS is to give your software away for free.

I doubt IE 7 will be Longhorn only. Even "key features" for Longhorn are now going to be released for Windows XP (WinFX I believe is the name of the framework.)

I even question whether or not IE 7 will be ready when Longhorn ships. I haven't heard as much hype about it, nor have I seen any screenshots (the version shown with Longhorn isn't IE 7.)

 

[grapes911]

I installed SP2 and it installed without a problem. Guess I'm lucky

No not lucky, thats how it is supposed to work. I've installed sp2 on about 7 or 8 computers and never had a problem. If someone had a problem I blame it on them for not following instructions. I guess there are some rare instances that I problem can occur that is not the users fault, but this is not the norm.

 

[earthtoandy]

actually there are known issues.. like if you have certain spyware on your computer.. where the sp2 will crash hard! there are issues... and i am sure not all have been found.

but of course i had no problem... cause i rule.

 

[slughead]

actually there are known issues.. like if you have certain spyware on your computer.. where the sp2 will crash hard! there are issues... and i am sure not all have been found.

but of course i had no problem... cause i rule.

I have no problems on my PC, because I use Windows 2000, Norton Internet Security, and Firefox. Plus I use my Mac for E-mail.

Done deal. Nothing gets in, I get warned of anything trying to get out. As a result, I have never gotten a virus on my PC, or a piece of spyware (sans what was included with M$ Windows *cough*).

Also Win2k crashes 50% less than Windows XP.

 

[grapes911]

Also Win2k crashes 50% less than Windows XP.

You've got to be kidding me. I restart much less with xp than i did with 2000. I only received one bsd (i overclocked my cpu too much) running xp while I had a couple under 2000. But I guess to each his own.

 

[Mach D]

You've got to be kidding me. I restart much less with xp than i did with 2000. I only received one bsd (i overclocked my cpu too much) running xp while I had a couple under 2000. But I guess to each his own.

My xp is so bad, I now have to restart daily. And it's not like I don't maintain the PC, it's just crap at this point. I refuse to format. I'm buying an iMac.

 

[BWhaler]

Welcome to The Light.

 

[Roger1]

No not lucky, thats how it is supposed to work. I've installed sp2 on about 7 or 8 computers and never had a problem. If someone had a problem I blame it on them for not following instructions. I guess there are some rare instances that I problem can occur that is not the users fault, but this is not the norm.

Heh. i'm trying to put it on a couple of machines at work, and the auto update doesn't find it. This is after following the directions, turning on the firewall, ect. All I get is "no updates available".

Let's see- firewall on? yep
Antivirus installed? yep
Automatic update on? yep
Sp2 loading? NO
I try to find the update, and the website sends me into a loop, from one page to another in an endless circle. Screw it. I'm going home, and I'll worry about it tomorrow.

 

[Mach D]

Heh. i'm trying to put it on a couple of machines at work, and the auto update doesn't find it. This is after following the directions, turning on the firewall, ect. All I get is "no updates available".

Let's see- firewall on? yep
Antivirus installed? yep
Automatic update on? yep
Sp2 loading? NO
I try to find the update, and the website sends me into a loop, from one page to another in an endless circle. Screw it. I'm going home, and I'll worry about it tomorrow.

There is some timeframe you can download it because of the demand of the service pack. It took me 3 weeks from actually asking for the SP for the Update to actually recognize it.

 

[grapes911]

Heh. i'm trying to put it on a couple of machines at work, and the auto update doesn't find it. This is after following the directions, turning on the firewall, ect. All I get is "no updates available".

Let's see- firewall on? yep
Antivirus installed? yep
Automatic update on? yep
Sp2 loading? NO
I try to find the update, and the website sends me into a loop, from one page to another in an endless circle. Screw it. I'm going home, and I'll worry about it tomorrow.

If you are installing it on mutiple computers you are better off downloading it once and then installing it as many times as you need.
http://download.microsoft.com/downl...0-73cf11fdcdf8/WindowsXP-KB835935-SP2-ENU.exe

 

[Anticipat3]

What can be said...

I've run dozens of Windows PCs over the years, and they're certainly a lot less reliable and more problematic than the OSX Apple computers I've used.

Windows XP is a pretty decent OS, and it really IS a lot better than Win98. However, it definately has a lot of issues; first being security/crapware vulnerability, and second being the need to support so much crazy hardware -- crashes and hangs are still a reality of the windows world, especially if you're on teh cutting edge. I recently got an Athlon 64 system to replace my P4, and I've turned up dozens of problems already -- Windowblinds doesn't work with it, PoE (a Battlefield Vietnam Mod) crashes out randomly, etc. Mind you, I'm using all namebrand hardware, nothing cheap. If you run as an administrative user and you regularly install new programs, you're going to have to format windows every couple months to keep it running quickly.

That said, if you DON'T run as an Administrative user, and you DON'T regularly install and play with new programs, Windows XP is very solid -- this is why it's a great platform for corporate use. However, the home user doesn't have an IT department to configure their firewall, filter spam and viruses out of their email, ensure that the user has no privledges, keep their home directories on the network, regularly backed up, etc.... This is where OSX shines -- It works great with little to no support.

 

[MacUser1]

Speed-wise, how does the T42 compare to your Powerbook? The T42 isn't a weak machine by any means.

speed wise, the T42 is a very nice computer. even the specs are impressive. however, you can have the best machine in the world, but still be hindered by a poor operating system.

 

[mmmdreg]

lol putting in my subject choices at uni for next year required IE on a PC of all things. I go to a PC, at one stage it won't let me continue unless I click their "print" button which tries to open some installer for some journal viewer to make some form that I can print out.. now the installer file could not be found and really, I didn't want to print it out so I pressed cancel. It's looking like it's all fine and dandy but no!, the installer fires up again. IE has meanwhile frozen so I can't use the window where I *can* progress now due to their popup that can't progress due to the installer. So on and so forth and then everything crashes. However, i saved up that point and I didn't have to print it out on second round.

I had to go through that process 3 times to finish the application due to various printing ideas....

So.. stupid specifying requirements that don't work eh?

 

[mcs37]

I like to diversity my network myself! I'm writing this on my slick 12" PowerBook while I've got two Windows XP machines (one fileserver, one workstation) as well as two Linux servers. Hoping to build a 1-terabyte Linux server to act as another fileserver, a DVR, and another node for distribution computing. One day I'll be able to afford myself a Power Mac, but the point is the diversity of the network gives it a lot of flavor.

Windows has some problems and there are some areas that Mac kicks its ass badly, but I don't mind using it for web page development, DVD ripping, and gaming. Lots of free software too! I do love my PowerBook though.

One negative aspect of Macs is the higher cost of living. I recently purchased a second power source--$80! For an AC adaptor? $25 for the iKlear kit! The $20 for the DVI->VGA adaptor was the best deal. So there is the "Apple tax".

One great positive is the club you're initiated into with the purchase of a Mac. I had a 10-hour layover in San Francisco a few days ago so I headed into the city, had some food, and vegged at the Apple store for a good 3 hours. Just sat there, they hooked me up for power, and did some work and listened to iTunes while the staff were helping others at the genius bar. No worries! They welcomed me like a member of the family, and everyone was so happy. I do love those stores. I even went to the overflowing Apple store in the Ginza--what an experience that was! Packed with people! But it's like being part of the Masons or another society. Everywhere in the nation (and hopefully, eventually the world) you can go to an Apple store and use it as a home base. If only they had hostels and food+drink...

Try finding a club like that for Windows, Linux, Solaris... well any other computing machine.

 

[DavidLeblond]

lol putting in my subject choices at uni for next year required IE on a PC of all things. I go to a PC, at one stage it won't let me continue unless I click their "print" button which tries to open some installer for some journal viewer to make some form that I can print out..

Ahhhh you must have Microsoft Journal Viewer. I'm not 100% sure why, but for some reason if you have Journal Viewer installed it will run that installer whenever you try to open a PDF. It will open Acrobat as soon as you hit Cancel on the installer about 30 times. I recommend uninstalling Journal Viewer, that should fix things.

Microsoft knows about the bug but as always has no intention on fixing it. Its not a bug, its a feature and if you don't like that feature they suggest uninstalling Journal Viewer (which is useless anyway.)