Proof M$ is Evil

[velvtelvis]

Sorry if this has been discussed here. I look back and figured that if it was true and people realized what it means, it would still be in hot discussion.

From an zdnet piece on what microsoft is requiring of OEMs who want to bundle XP with their machines:

*The system includes at least four USB ports, with two on the front panel or keyboard for user convenience and two on the back of the PC. A built-in USB hub is recommended.
* The system includes at least two, and preferably three, IEEE-1394 FireWire ports for high-speed devices. Mobile devices need only one. Three are recommended for desktops, however, with one port on the back of the system unit.
* The system does not allow end-user access to expansion bus cards. This means users will no longer routinely open their PCs to add peripherals.

They want us all using imac-ish integrated systems where we have to pay a M$ certified guy to change our video cards.
If I'm going to be forced to buy an imac, I'll buy an apple. The ease of expandibility is the only thing that's kept me hanging around the wintel platform as long as I have. Praise god for Linux.

 

[j@cko]

Well, it's easy! Just go with Linux

 

[Kishkumen]

That proves that Microsoft is evil? They may have sold their souls long ago, but they're not stupid. They want to sell as many copies of XP as they can and they are not going to deny sales to OEMs who do not meet that rigid spec. What that David Coursey article talks about is merely the suggested specs for running XP and the main thrust of the article mostly concerns how much you'll have to upgrade speed wise and memory wise to have a good experience with XP and so Microsoft can show off all their cool little extra shovel-ware that they've bloated this most recent release with. If Microsoft is evil as far as XP goes, how about the fact that they are purposely crippling mp3 playback even with 3rd party software to sound like crap. How about this forcing you to register and activation pain in the arse crap! The list Will go on...

 

[velvtelvis]

But why try and prohibit users from working on their own machines?
Is it to make their system inventory based copy protection more practical?
If major OEM's go for it, what will it mean for small-time system integraters?
Won't that lead to an increase in proprietary part useage by major OEM's?
Won't that in turn decrease the profit incentive for manufacturers marketing products to the DIY crowd?

 

[LickEmSmack]

I have known they are evil ever since I got into the scene about 5 years ago. I will NEVER buy (or use even a cracked copy) of WinXP... It's pure bloated sh*t. Now Gnome and KDE may be getting bloated and crash way more than I'd like, but I will definitely go ALL Linux if that's what it means. Complete sh*t I tell ya.

 

[Shockwave]

I think people need to calm down! This is still being discussed, besides, its also for machines you buy...How many people here bought their pc off the shelf? Know what, for the most part I hate the thought of people buying something off the shelf then trying to upgrade it. I didnt see people complaining because they couldnt oc their playstation or add ram to their dreamcast. MS is trying to take pc's to a new level of user friendliness and power. Good. Fine with me. I'll stick to building my own because I know how, and it will do everything any other pc will do, except I have more options with it. And if MS wants to force me to do some dumb sh!t like call them for a serial number every time I reinstall then you'll see me at the warez sites or using linux. Overall problem to me: none

 

[LickEmSmack]

It's not about the problem to you, it's what the management at M$ thinks it can do to the software world. The attitude they take toward consumers is despicable, and their business prcatices suck as well. I'll not sit by and use proprietary crap that M$ pushes on the PC world because it hurts us all evenually. The fact of the matter is that M$ is becoming more and more non-interoperable with other non-M$ systems. I think this has to end.

 

[Maniac9127]

<< Know what, for the most part I hate the thought of people buying something off the shelf then trying to upgrade it. >>

Ever hear of a cable modem? How about a network card? Some people like to be able to add stuff to their computer that they didn't originally plan on using.

<< I didnt see people complaining because they couldnt oc their playstation or add ram to their dreamcast. >>

First off, you can overclock your playstation. Second, it would be stupid to do so, as would adding ram to your dreamcast. Why? They're consoles, you don't upgrade a console, you overclock a console it gets fscked up, you add ram to a console it doesn't know what to do with it, and it would be worthless because no game in the world would use it. Computers are modular, they were designed with the option to be upgraded

 

[KpocAlypse]

<< The system does not allow end-user access to expansion bus cards. This means users will no longer routinely open their PCs to add peripherals. >>



Well the little sticker saying vold if opened didn't work..Removal of open slots would do it, but i don't think anyone is gonna really comply.