SP2 M$ OS destruction!

And then read the eWeek article with a different viewpoint that I posted...

I'm not. And according to my visitor stats, hardly anyone else is either:

• Windows 94.4 %
• Macintosh 2.6 %
• Unknown 2.6 %
• Linux 0.2 %
• WebTV < 0.1 %
• Sun Solaris < 0.1 %
• RISC OS < 0.1 %
• AmigaOS < 0.1 %
• FreeBSD < 0.1 %
• VMS < 0.1 %

Linux barely beats out WebTV.

 

WOW, those are ridiculous totals....

What is the 2.6 unknown? is that OS/2?

I would have never imagined it would still be that high....

AC, as you can see, whomever makes the next 'best' OS has a HUGE, and I do mean HUGE hill to climb.

I do not like Windows, but there is nothing better out there that does what I need to do. That simple....

 

So what is your answer for the 200 Million machines that are not upgraded to XP that have a flawed browser and will be turned into Zombies?

Has anyone making arguments for the M$ side here read the following article decribing the crime M$ is pulling on the computing public?

http://news.com.com/Microsoft+to+secure+IE+for+XP+only/2100-1032_3-5378366.html

 

Hmmm... let me think.... upgrade to XP?

Anthony, Windows 98 is now almost 7 years old, and we all knew a long time ago Windows Me was never a real OS -- even the name was their second choice (the first, "F... You", couldn't get into Walmart). How long do you want MS to support those things? As I said elsewhere, what about DOS 3.0 - 6.2, Windows 1.0 - 3.1 - 95? Where does it end? Can you still get parts for that 1969 Honda sportscar that redlined at 10000 RPM? (and what a beauty that was!) or your old Pinto? or that AMC bubble car?

 

Fact # 1 from Cnet article linked in prior post....

Of Microsoft's approximately 390 million operating system installations around the world, Windows XP Pro constitutes 26.1 percent, Windows XP Home 24.7 percent, IDC said.

The remaining 49.2 percent is composed of Windows 2000 Professional (17.5 percent), Windows 98 (14.9 percent), Windows ME (6.5 percent), Windows 95 (5.4 percent), and Windows NT Workstation (4.9 percent).

That 49.2 percent of Windows users are left out in the cold when it comes to significant updates to IE and other software.

People running Internet Explorer without SP2 face an array of security scenarios, many of them linked to lax security associated with the ActiveX API, or application programming interface.

SP2 also brought IE up to date with its competitors with a robust pop-up blocker.

"Although I can understand the reasons why Microsoft would like to simplify its internal processes, I'm not in favor of bundling security patches, bug fixes and new features into one package," said IDC Vice President Dan Kusnetsky. "Organizations wanting only security-related updates or just a specific new feature are forced to make an all-or-nothing choice."

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Minstrel, I agree with Microsoft, they should have name the OS F_ _ _ you, because that is what everyone of their customers is going to get, F _ _ _ E D

 

Well of course some of the specific numbers may well change depending on the nature of the site... My stats for September:

• Total Windows 94.4 %
• Windows XP 57 %
• Windows 2000 17.2 %
• Windows 98 10.8 %
• Windows Me 3.3 %
• Windows 95 2.5 %
• Windows 2003 2.3 %
• Windows NT 0.9 %
• Windows CE < 0.1 %

 

I have to think of the other 49%, most are used in their businesses or are older folks who see no need to upgrade. That is until patches for their machines are no longer supported. Billy G has this right. Either upgrade or get left behind. That simple. When Longhorn releases, I will bitch and moan and buy it. It is life.

 

Minstrel, XP even with the SP2 update is not secure, read the e-week article, the writer is an OS expert, he will tell you that it is filled with flaws.

So to tell folks to just upgrade to XP is not a good answer, but M$ has so many fooled that they will just go right along marching in the Patch Parade.

Just make sure that you back up everything good in case you look at a JEPG or go to a drive by website malware download

 

Fact # 2

Microsoft does not think they have any competition, but this issue will turn many computer users against them forever.

More reasons they are taking advantage of folks are listed below.

From the C-Net article linked in this thread.

That, analysts say, is a steep price to pay to secure a browser that swept the market as a free, standalone product.

"It's a problem that people should have to pay for a whole OS upgrade to get a safe browser," said Michael Cherry, analyst with Directions on Microsoft in Redmond, Wash. "It does look like a certain amount of this is to encourage upgrade to XP."

Microsoft affirmed that its recent security improvements to IE would be made available only to XP users.

"We do not have plans to deliver Windows XP SP2 enhancements for Windows 2000 or other older versions of Windows," the company said in a statement. "The most secure version of Windows today is Windows XP with SP2. We recommend that customers upgrade to XP and SP2 as quickly as possible."


The Internet's security mess has proved profitable for many companies, particularly antivirus firms. Microsoft has declared security job No. 1.

By refusing to offer IE's security upgrades to users of older operating systems except through paid upgrades to XP, Microsoft may be turning the lemons of its browser's security reputation into the lemonade of a powerful upgrade selling point.

That lemonade comes in the midst of a painfully dry spell for the company's operating system business.

Three years have passed since Microsoft introduced its last new operating system, and its upcoming release, code-named Longhorn, has been plagued by delays. Microsoft last month scaled back technical ambitions for Longhorn in order to meet a 2006 deadline.

While Wall Street anxiously awaits an operating system release that can produce revenues until Longhorn appears, Microsoft is eyeing the nearly half of the world's 390 million Windows users who have opted to stick with operating systems older than XP, including Windows versions 2000, ME, 98 and 95.

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These guys are giving an open door to Apple and Linux vendors, great, this is the day the industry has been waiting for.

Lawyers will eat this up with class action lawsuits, look for Microsoft to reverse this silly policy and soon folks.

 

http://www.eweek.com/article2/0,1759,1640069,00.asp



Opinion: With security holes to the left of us and program incompatibilities to the right, SP2 is giving corporate IT departments more reasons than ever to consider a move to Linux desktops.

Contrary to popular belief, I'm perfectly happy to run Windows as well as Linux desktops. It's just that, well … the Linux desktops tend to run better and be more secure then their Windows cousins. And that's true both for me and for enterprise desktop users.

Take, if you will, please take it, Windows XP SP2 (Service Pack 2). I've worked a lot with SP2, and I didn't expect to see great security improvements from it. I know Windows too well to think that anything short of a complete redesign will actually make it approach Linux's levels of security.

But I did expect to see some improvement. Boy, was I wrong. Yes, some things are better, but there are also a slew of new, exciting security concerns.

For example, it's possible in some situations for a worm to spoof the WSC (Windows Security Center) into making it appear that your system is fine and dandy when it's actually been turned into, say, a spam-producing zombie from heck.

Or, worse still, there's the hole that enables would-be attackers to use Internet Explorer's drag-and-drop feature to trick users into allowing various malware programs onto their PCs.

You know what really scares me, though? We're seeing all of these security problems turning up, and SP2 hasn't even been widely distributed yet. What will happen once every would-be cracker has a copy to tinker with?

I also expected to find a host of minor program incompatibilities. There, Microsoft hasn't disappointed me. Microsoft's own applications, VPNs, custom programs, and the list goes on and on.



Is it any wonder that businesses are holding off on "upgrading" to SP2? So it is that once more I have to ask you, why not Linux?

The Linux desktop is far more stable and secure than XP SP2 is today. Linux applications run without fussing, and never has a single, serious Linux virus been seen in the wild.

Don't know Linux? Well, that's where enterprise Linux distributors such as Novell/SuSE and Red Hat and full-service Linux integrators such as IBM Global Services come in. With them, you don't need to have full-time Linux gurus on staff. They can supply the IT knowledge for you.

Yes, you can use Mandrake, Mepis or some other Linux instead of paying enterprise Linux prices. But with the non-enterprise Linux distributions, you're not going to get the 24-7 support big business demands from any enterprise-level program. If you're sure your in-house people can handle the demands of forging your own way, you're welcome to do it. It's just that I know for a fact that most companies don't have the resources, or corporate will, to go it alone.

Unfortunately, the enterprise Linux players haven't been doing a good job of pushing their desktop offerings. First, as I've said before, getting a box with Linux preinstalled on it is still a pain. You pretty much work with a systems integrator or VAR to bring in pallet loads of desktops.



Next, there's a bit of confusion about enterprise-ready Linux desktops. Novell has a great Linux desktop, SuSE Linux Desktop 9.1. About half of my own Linux desktops are running it.

But Novell is working on a bigger, better Linux desktop, which isn't even in beta yet. The last thing most CIOs—or any chief financial officers—want to do is upgrade to a new operating system and then immediately upgrade again.

For a while, people were confused about whether Red Hat even had a desktop anymore. Well, it always did, and the Red Hat Desktop is a good one. For it to shine to its best advantage, though, you'll also need to commit to RHEL (Red Hat Enterprise Linux) on your servers.

Thus, all in all, for enterprise buyers, I think that making a successful Linux desktop today isn't as easy as it could be or should be. Still, with the right integrator or reseller partner, or perhaps even outsourcing your desktops with a Linux thin client approach, it is perfectly doable.

If that doesn't sound very attractive to you, well, you did read what I wrote earlier about Microsoft's latest and greatest desktop, didn't you?

Do you really want to wait for Longhorn? Whenever the heck that shows up? If you want a new, solid and safe desktop for corporate use anytime soon, your best choice is a Linux desktop.

eWEEK.com Senior Editor Steven J. Vaughan-Nichols has been using and writing about operating systems since the late '80s and thinks he may just have learned something about them along the way.

Check out eWEEK.com's Linux & Open Source Center at http://linux.eweek.com for the latest open-source news, reviews and analysis.

 

I am so blown away AC. Here you are flogging this thing continually, hammering it left and right, why do you continue to use it then? I will await your response.

PS: I am going to assume that you legally purchase the copy you are currently using as well.

 

http://www.eweek.com/article2/0,1759,1640069,00.asp


Read the above over and over my son, the truth is within, you shall find your way one day.

Just don't trip over those worthless M$ boxes and crack your skull

Tell all of your customers not to leave their junk with you, if I were you I would tell them that they are responsible to pick up their own junk M$ zombie machines as you can not afford the disposal fees.

 

Answer the question AC, answer the question....

I think deep down you love XP. You read all this negative publicity and you are a bandwagon jumper. You continue to use the product you despise. Love/Hate relationship if I have ever seen one...

Another great read AC, you are very entertaining. I can't figure out if you are 18 or 42 though, there are hints of both. You maybe be 40 something but young at heart I am assuming....

Have a good day!

 

you two are hilarious...

AC/NC performing "Highway to Hell", live in concert

 

Minstrel, the union warned you about making comedy at DP without a union card, please pay your dues first

Next, NC always tries to slay dragon's with a sword made of tin, son just know with that weapon, you can not win

Minstrel, I want to correct you, M$ has its users on the highway to hell and the internet itself, all for their own selfish gain.

Folks are not going for it, large corporations and institutions are moving away from them and individual users like me are going to move to MAC.

 

I did pay my dues -- um... the cheque is in the mail...

 

See the article in the link I posted earlier, Anthony -- according to your beloved eWeek, corporations are actually moving back to MS, once they discover how awkward the alternatives are.

 

M$ has their propaganda Minstrel, but IBM, Dell, HP, Red Hat and even Wal-Mart are selling linux boxes. Novell is creating a new Linux desktop OS that will be functional for the average guy.

In a couple years you can kiss M$ Market share away, it is just a matter of "Open Source Time".

The tide is turning because of defective and un-secure products produced by M$, the greed of making customers pay for their lack of innovation is complete insanity on their part.

This will come back to haunt them Minstrel, this trend against them can not be reversed.

 

Yea, but you still did not answer my question, son. Why do you continue to use the product you despise? Why are you avoiding the question? hahaha

 

I think you should start a blog anthony... Then we could all see what your recent thoughts have been just by looking above your posts