[wellylug] Buying Microsoft Products....

[Matthew Cruickshank]

>         Windows XP limits your choice of Internet Service Providers to
> MSN  ie; Telecoms XTRA.  (Interesting to see them getting in bed bed
> with    Microsoft).

Not true.

>         Windows XP is such a big resource sucker that you have to buy a
> flash and fast new computer to be able to install and run it.  Microsoft
> states that the computer should not be more than 2 years old, other wise
> you should throw it away and buy a new one.

True (about the resource sucker - not the throw away bit).

>         Windows Media Player shipped with XP does a reallyt bad job of
> playing MP3s, forcing people to use Microsofts own proprietary WMA
> format.  (This will have interesting implications for the internet)

It's inefficient compared to Winamp (though Media Player 7+ is a bloated pig 
anyway - and they bundle version 6 as mplayer2 in progra~1\windows media 
player). I haven't noticed any quality problems and - from the ever reliable 
slashdot AC - I've read convincing evidence that the fraunhofer codec isn't 
particularly good.

>         Windows XP not only requires product activation, but has also
> got a limited life built in so that after a set period you are forced to
> buy an upgrade or you can't use it after that.

Not true.

> Have I missed anything?

It doesn't allow drivers to be installed that haven't been signed by 
Microsoft. Hardware manufacturers have to pay for this and through 
exclusivity contracts they could exert the same OEM control over all PC 
hardware.

I just had problems getting my dang external modem to work.

> Now if these rumours are true I would have feel that Microsoft are
> rather unrepentant for their illegal conduct,  and have gone even
> further than they previously had.  I am convinced that it must be
> ethically wrong to buy stuff from a twice convicted monopolistic company
> who are unrepentant and are more aggressively trying to rip people off
> and then force them to continue to limit peoples options to make more
> money.  It all boils down to a pair of megalomaniacs that want to take
> control of the world, and are well on their way to doing that.

Well, yeah. Though I don't think they'll win. I hope the EU continues doing 
what they're doing.


- Matthew Cruickshank | http://holloway.co.nz/book/3 << Little Stalker Boy 
(of websites, and girls)


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