haven't read much so far, a bit off the bat, mixed feelings and no fanboyflaming for me, so here goes...(i'll only evoke the things which i've experienced..
and sry for the bad spelling )
There is much to say about windows, many long sleepless nights trying to figure how to fix the OS, many more just enjoying a flawless OS, just running almost any program, installing, un installing almost any hardware without a second though.
When i was a student everything was cracked, cos i was broke and most of the things we had on our systems where 'given away' by my university, smart move by most of the software companys (if they get it free, they will learn it, and someday will ahve to buy it). Life wasn't always rosy growing up with computers. sometimes you'd get months of flawless behavior only to wake up one morning with a computer which decided to make your life miserable.
somethings never change,after 24 years of silicon, burnt plastics, destroyed joysticks, endless hours of tweaking... windows is still windows, still the eternal clueless geek with no concept of trendy or design. apple is still apple, still the fashion design guru wanabee with no clue on masscomputing for the financially challenged. Well it's a bit far streched, but the general trend is there.
On the OS front I've been through all versions of windows (ALL OF THEM) so i think i've got a pretty good picture of the beast. since i keep old computers running at home, just for the fun of it, i've got most releases of the OS. Much has changed since the good days ( not that they where that good, since most things we take for granted where: a) not invented yet, b)close to a miracle, c) damn slow.
The "things" that windows does, that hasn't changed much. most of the, then uber great new functions, are still here.
What has changed is how the machine does them, windows has gotten much "smarter" through the ages. We've gained diagnostic programs, data encryption, safety, LAN diagnostic tools and calibration (remember the IP hell with windows 95?), computer management, auto installing programs that are smart enough to not srew up the system when there's a compatibility problem (ahhremm Win Me anyone?), a user interface which would make a geek melt 15 years ago are standard. User interfaces have gone from 'hit any key' to "hello master , yes i've already compiled the ingineering samples you gave me".
windows is still the bench mark for installing on most machines. u've got to give the a round of applause, they may not have created the perfect OS or aren't that innovative in most respects. what they have done is given to hundreds of thousands of users some degree of comfort that you wouldn't get. Power to the masses! yes, yes apple is better, more efficient , cleaner bla bla bla. we know that. but windows is universal! apple have the advantage that they control the whole process from the first craps of silicon to the last bit of OS. so they are bound to be "more" of everything. You can't install Mac OS on any other machine just on a whim ( except with EFIX usb dongle, and only on gigabyte MBs) , why? because it's taillored to suit the machine. windows is like a good ol jacket, the one size fits all with loads of pockets. It's not the armani suit which apple claims to be. And rightly so! a stripped down version of XP will obliterate anything that comes close.
So, on the OS side of things, everything they have done so far, is nothing short of exceptional. except for windows Me (they should burn the office in which it was made and exorcise the people who made it) and windows vista (nice looking program on a faulty frame - way way to complicated and plenty of unresolved issues, but still a nice looker).
One thing which they screwed up pretty nicely was the competition. If you're program is the best , and your services are flawless then, with time and patience market shares will come your way. why am I saying this? because most people i know have the impression that some msoft products (like Explorer, WMP for example) where not the best the market had to offer. I still get the impression that Msoft pulled a few nasty tricks to get rid of the competition. One will argue that buiness is not for the faintharted and 'I'd rather take on a group of Msoft buisness directors with a nuke than fight off a hoard of Aliens with a soft rubber chicken'. I saw most internet browsers companys go from healthy to dead in a matter of months , just because they where no longer there, replaced by some foul, hastily written Msoft programs. They got burnt for it, and they still carry an aura of evil. I don't think i would have done the same thing had i been in charge. simply because competition and competing for the technologically better product is the way to go. It shouldn't be the amount of cash rebates you give and the amount of publicity you make that defines the industry standard. It makes us weak and inefficient.
Some will argue that making the best possible program will get you a apple type program. I'd disagree, the best can also mean the leanest, most proficient.
gotta go peeps, will pick up laters ^^
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