Fuck Microsoft.

[Supercilious]

Re: Fuck Microsoft.

Please excuse a relatively computer illiterate...
Are you telling Jim to go buy a Mac computer or will Mac run on a normal desktop e.g. Dell ?

If you really want to run Mac OS on a PC you can, but IMHO, if someone want to switch to Mac they should do it on a Mac computer

Second given that one has got windows, is there an alternative email programne to outlook express?

There are a few, but I guess the best replacement would be a program called Evolution Mail.

Any opinions on Open Office?

Does all the normal word processing, spreadsheets tasks, presentation etc of the MS Office with less errors and freezing. You can try Open Office in windows (OO works under windows too) to get a feel for it and test compatibilityissues.

I do remember a thread where you blokes discussed Linux quite widely, I'll try to find it. I'd like to get around Microsoft if I can but everything in my office is set up with Windows. Don't get me wrong i'm only talking about 10 computers but messing with computer programnes is quite a pain in the a...e!

If you use your computer network for what 99% of people are using their computers then you should not have a real problem, It will take about a week or so of pain to get used to the new stuff but you shouldn't regret it. If you do the switch from Windows to Linux or Mac for your business you should get a competent geek to help you if you are not into computers.

Foe example you can run Linux under Windows (installed as a program inside windows) and you can try that as a test drive. If you find you don't get along with Linux you simply install it as you would do with any windows program. If you decide to use linux you should go at least with a dual boot machine and do a disk partition, so you can unleash the true potential of linux.

It worked well, the installation you outlined, but getting into its spread sheet and considering having to reconstruct all the macros I use was too much with which to have to deal--you know, reluctance to change. Were I 20 years or so younger, I would be a Linux user in a second.

Yeah, not all excel macros work in open office, only the simple ones, and converting all your windows work can be a real pain.

[LargoWinch]

Re: Fuck Microsoft.

msg deleted.

[c1ue]

Re: Fuck Microsoft.

Jim,

I feel your pain.

The source of your irritation is exactly why I continue to use my Office 2000 setup - although I'm now forced to use 3rd party translators whenever others send me their .***x files.

As for Mac - anyone who has tried to uninstall Quicktime can vouch as I do that Apple is no different whatsoever than Microsoft - only smaller thus needing to pretend to be user friendly somewhat more.

Of course as a WordPerfect/Quattro Pro user I am no doubt biased.

[Guest]

Re: Fuck Microsoft.

Jim I feel your pain.

You don't know the half of it. What his anguished innermost feelings are really crying out for, is somebody else's brand new HP computer (it would be impractical for him to spare his own for this exercise) with Microsoft Office 12 installed on it, a very blunt long handled ax, an old tree stump, and a soundproofed garage somewhere where he can smite the new Windows PC into smithereens with the blunt ax in order to release some of the animus he has towards Gates / Ballmer, before the anger festers to the point of overloading Jim's circuits and he goes Berserker. Jim needs some catharsis here!

[Jim Nickerson]

Re: Fuck Microsoft.

You don't know the half of it. What his anguished innermost feelings are really crying out for, is somebody else's brand new HP computer (it would be impractical for him to spare his own for this exercise) with Microsoft Office 12 installed on it, a very blunt long handled ax, an old tree stump, and a soundproofed garage somewhere where he can smite the new Windows PC into smithereens with the blunt ax in order to release some of the animus he has towards Gates / Ballmer, before the anger festers to the point of overloading Jim's circuits and he goes Berserker. Jim needs some catharsis here!

Lukester, you are full of more stuff(ings) than a Christmas turkey.

Actually, there is little about/in this world that does not irritate me. Thankfully, or someone should be, I am too lazy to express my thoughts on all the bullshit through which we continually make our ways.

Regarding Office 12 I am just so happy to have it out of my computer and apparently done causing my period of frustration.

Clue, regarding Quattro Pro, I didn't know what a spreadsheet was until I got Quattro loaded on some machine I bought. I used it for many years, but in 2000 I got another free edition of it on another machine and spent six months (very slow learner) screwing with continuous crashes of the program. Finally I capitulated and bought a copy of 2001-2? Excel and the problems stopped immediately. It was incredible. I decided then that Corel had turned into uselessness.

[*T*]

Re: Fuck Microsoft.

Jim,

to try linux (free):

1. go to www.ubuntu.com
2. download it
3. burn it on a cd
4. run it off the cd (so you don't have to install anything)

t

[c1ue]

Re: Fuck Microsoft.

Clue, regarding Quattro Pro, I didn't know what a spreadsheet was until I got Quattro loaded on some machine I bought. I used it for many years, but in 2000 I got another free edition of it on another machine and spent six months (very slow learner) screwing with continuous crashes of the program. Finally I capitulated and bought a copy of 2001-2? Excel and the problems stopped immediately. It was incredible. I decided then that Corel had turned into uselessness.

Jim,

Quattro was one of the early victims of the M$ 'bundling' strategy.

The company basically lost it in the mid-90s.

What you were using was no doubt the remnants as badly managed by Corel.

From roughly 1989 to 1994, the program was rock solid.

In 1995 - Windows came out with Office and the end was rapid.

But as a note - the only things I have found in Excel that I was not doing with Quattro Pro in 1990 are the recent web inquiry capabilities.

Everything else has been in catchup mode.

[shiny!]

Re: Fuck Microsoft.

Linux has gotten a lot more user-friendly in recent years. And like people have said, it's also free. Now you can run Linux from a Live-CD without installing it to your harddrive. While it's a little slow this way, it's a great way to test it without messing with your harddrive. If it sees all your hardware (mouse, printer, network card, etc.) and you find you can do all the things you normally do, then you can install it, and it'll be fast! Just make sure you back everything up just in case...

Your computer might be configured to go straight to the harddrive when it boots. To boot from a Live-CD, start the computer and hit F1 or Del or whatever the screen says to hit in order to enter Setup. Make the first boot option "CDROM". Save and exit. Then boot up with the disc in the drive and give it a whirl.

There are two Linux distributions that I recommend for newbies because they have an interface similar to Windows: PCLinuxOS and Mepis. They're loaded with browsers, email, OpenOffice, audio and video players, editors and games; they have easy package management for installing and uninstalling applications (there are thousands of applications available), and they have friendly user forums for support.

You can burn your own discs, but I think it's easier to buy them pre-burned for a minimal fee:

PCLinuxOS: http://www.linuxcd.org/view_item.php...d_version=3718

Mepis:
http://www.linuxcd.org/view_item.php...d_version=3676

I stopped using Micro$hit in 2002 and never looked back.

[jtabeb]

Re: Fuck Microsoft.

It worked well, the installation you outlined, but getting into its spread sheet and considering having to reconstruct all the macros I use was too much with which to have to deal--you know, reluctance to change. Were I 20 years or so younger, I would be a Linux user in a second.

Just buy a MAC and use windows 7 and OSX at flip of a keystroke, that is hotswapable on the fly. Parallel I think it's called.

Buy a Mac, get a really fast windows PC for FREE!

Buy a PC and, well you get a PC.

[rogermexico]

Re: Fuck Microsoft.

Just buy a MAC and use windows 7 and OSX at flip of a keystroke, that is hotswapable on the fly. Parallel I think it's called.

Buy a Mac, get a really fast windows PC for FREE!

Buy a PC and, well you get a PC.

FWIW, I have used both parallels and vmware. I found vmware easier to configure and more stable.

I have used mac for 20 years and and windows for over 15, including both windows and mac together in a small business environment.

Mac will do every 100% of everything you need at home, unless you are a gamer or have some obscure legacy programs. VMware and separately purchased windows xp will cover the rest if you have proprietary business software needs.

Switching is no big deal if you currently are windows only. My only caveat is that I have some mechanical (not software) problems with imacs - hard drive failures - possibly related to their vertical orientation. My Mac laptops and desktop boxes have been very reliable.