Why Do People Still Use Windows?

[Asher]

Originally posted by Urban Ranger
Bollocks. Just the regular "blame the victim" excuse.

MS advertises Windows as something you don't need experience and skill to use - not "use at your own risk because we don't give a rat's arse about viruses and spyware."

As long as the user has the ability to run programs, he has the ability to run viruses and spyware.

What don't you get?

You can only blame MS for the world's failings every so often. Once in a while you need to realize that people are stupid, and do stupid things.

[Asher]

Originally posted by aneeshm
And considering that it is UNIX/Linux servers that are used in a large number of mission-critical services , why doesn't anybody target them ? Taking down a large number of services critical to the internet is going to get you many more "leet points" that if you target individual windows users - yet there are practically no viruses for Linux/UNIX . Why is that ?

UNIX servers were heavily targeted back when they dominated.

Linux servers generally aren't targetted because Linux is still low-profile compared to Windows -- a worm taking down Linux servers wouldn't make front-page featured-article cnn.com like the Zotob (which is a lame worm that's basically dead already) did. They also generally have more capable administrators because of the elite-geek factor of Linux, and the #1 reason is the lack of standardization on Linux installs.

It's a double-edged sword, you know -- the lack of Linux standardization is why it'll never replace Windows on the desktop, and it's also why it's harder to target...

[Asher]

Originally posted by Urban Ranger
A new worm is on the loose over the Net as I write...

That's infecting unpatched Windows 2000 computers only, Windows XP isn't affected, and Windows 2000 users with autoupdates on aren't affected either.

It is true that a GUI makes working with simple tasks simpler, and hard tasks more difficult.

For example, how do you make a listing of all the files and directories on your computer under Windows? How many clicks will that take?

Another contrived example -- how do you draw raster graphics with the CLI? How many keystrokes would that take?

How many keystrokes does it take to select a bunch of pictures you want to print? In Windows I view by thumbnail then hold CTRL and click on the ones I want to print, then select "Print" in the task pane.

CLI and GUIs are both useful -- GUIs are absolutely more intuitive in every case, even if in some contrived examples (like yours) it takes longer. Linux relies too heavily on the CLI.

[Atahualpa]

Originally posted by Urban Ranger
Not me. I do network administration among other things

If you modify it a little bit it still fits my example, no?

But well, that Linux is better suited at some tasks than windows is out of question for me. I am glad for the cygwin project which enhances CLI functionality in Windows quite a bit (especially those handy, powerful and easy to write shell scripts).

[Last Conformist]

Most people use Windows because it's the de facto standard, and learning Linux isn't worth the effort.

It also have the major advantage of not being MacOS.

[Verto]

Originally posted by Dis
I really don't want to get in this argument. Because Mac people always say they can use a console for games (which I find to be an invalid arguement since civ3 isn't on consoles).

but out of curiousity, what is the cheapest mac you can get?

Mac Mini, starting at 499$



This thing needs to come with Bluetooth/Airport standard, and it would be an near-perfect machine for most household computer users who just want to surf the web, email, IM, maybe watch some videos, etc.

[Zopperoni]

And still you can get a PC that can do more for less money.

In any other industry, Apple would die with such a bad value proposition.

[Verto]

Yes, you can get a Dell high rise, true. OMFG the Mini was pwnz0r3d.



I guess it's a matter of what you value. For me, I wanted a computer that could perform admirably doing everything I wanted it to do, while also not being a monstrous addition to my room; hence, the iMac.

For people who want a basic/intermediate computer, maybe to put in a den or kitchen or whatever, the Mini is a much better choice, taking up far less space, with much more appeal.

[Provost Harrison]

Why Do People Still Use Windows?

Because it's a b*tch trying to get sunlight into buildings without them

[Ming]

Originally posted by Zopperoni
In any other industry, Apple would die with such a bad value proposition.

Not so... look at the shoe market. Some people pay tons of money for Shoes with the Nike logo on them, even though they are NOT really worth the difference in price.

They have been sucked into buying a brand, even though logic doesn't support their decision... Just like people who pay more for less when they get a Mac

[Az]

Yep. Apple is a brand name. And as many other brands, it don't say ****.

[Agathon]

Originally posted by Zopperoni
And still you can get a PC that can do more for less money.

Which is cobbled together from god knows what and is vulnerable to spyware and viruses. I bet that the time people spend on removing viruses and spybots from their PCs and the time they spend installing software to do so, and the time they lose due to malware and compatbility problems is worth a lot more than the couple of hundred dollars in price difference between an Apple computer and a PC.

In any other industry, Apple would die with such a bad value proposition.

The reason they survive is the software, and the integration with the hardware. Compatibility problems with software are comparatively rare on the Macintosh because everyone pretty much knows what they have to deal with, and if there is a problem the same fix will usually work for everyone.

[Provost Harrison]

If there's one thing that can be said for you Agathon, you're a troll with stamina

[Zopperoni]

Originally posted by Verto
For people who want a basic/intermediate computer, maybe to put in a den or kitchen or whatever, the Mini is a much better choice, taking up far less space, with much more appeal.

I'd still go for a barebone PC. Similar price range, similar size, MUCH better components, PC functionality:

Originally posted by Agathon
Which is cobbled together from god knows what and is vulnerable to spyware and viruses. I bet that the time people spend on removing viruses and spybots from their PCs and the time they spend installing software to do so, and the time they lose due to malware and compatbility problems is worth a lot more than the couple of hundred dollars in price difference between an Apple computer and a PC.

Then again, what are you able to do on a Mac? After surfing and text-processing, gaming is the #3 activity on the computer. Mac and games...

The reason they survive is the software, and the integration with the hardware.

The reason it survives is because people think it looks cool.

Compatibility problems with software are comparatively rare on the Macintosh

[chequita guevara]

I haven't crashed a Windows PC in years. Just a few months ago, I was being tested on a Max with OS X, just using Dreamweaver and Fireworks at the same time. I crashed it three times in an hour, and had to restart my test twice.

There is no good reason for any power use to use a Mac. I used to prefer them for graphics work, but not anymore. Damn things are as stable as Win98 boxes.