Windows Xp Vs Linux

Perform the following experiment. Take with you to a deserted island the following:

Your mission is to survive on this deserted island, and to set the computer up for dual-boot.

Can't do it? Of course not!

First, there is no way to make the Dell not boot up WindowsXp the first time. The VulcanNervePinch?, boot from CD, etc. options are disabled until WindowsXp starts up, at which time it graciously relinquishes control of your own computer to you.

Try using F2 and F12 to get to the boot and BIOS menu during the POST. It works on a Dell Dimension 8200.

Next, the "Reinstallation CD" is not bootable. If you lose the boot track on your CPU, you are toast.

Next, you must d-click the CD icon (somewhere on the new JigglingBaloney-compliant desktop). It will ask for your license number, and a few other trivial options, and burn these onto your one partition. Then it allows you to reboot.

At reboot time, you get the traditional Blue Screen of Life. And your next step is the partition table page, where you can cut up the partitions and make room for the dual-boot, right?

Wrong! The system will tell you it needs files it just wrote on the one big partition, so it can't repartition this drive.

IT NEEDS FILES TO INSTALL??? Riiight! Like it can't just ask for the license number again!!

So there you go. You can't order a non-clone, non-server computer from a reputable vendor without getting WindowsXp on it (and paying your GatesTax?). And when you get this computer, you can't really install the OS from its own CD. They broke this CD, for one reason:

To dual-boot Linux in this situation, you must buy another WindowsXp CD.

Now why can't I be clever like that? When all I know how to do is sit around solving my customers' problems! --PhlIp

That's the Home Edition. Screw that version. You needed the Professional Edition for real install CDs.

But surely the issue is, why should you?

I have the Home Edition and it installs from CD fine. Anyway, this page isn't really about WindowsXp v Linux, is it?

I wasn't on a deserted island, but I converted a stock Toshiba laptop with Windows XP Home Edition to a Windows/Linux double-boot machine using only PartitionMagic and RedHat 8, without consulting any other sources of information. No problems.

The "desert island" aspect was to prevent access to PartitionMagic.

The point, again: You cannot fully recover a damaged XP Home Edition using its false "install CD".

OK, we all know that recovery discs are not installation discs. That's why newer linux releases have PartitionMagic with them. SuSE Linux 8.2 comes with YaST, which is an easy installation program to avoid the problems caused by MicrosoftWindows taking over computers completely.

One thing is for sure, WindowsXp will always be easier to use, and have the best software. I cannot find anything like XMLSpy or Dreamweaver on GnuLinux. There is a lack of good, specialized GnuLinux software. All the free office applications on GnuLinux have very unstable import and export plugins. The fact is that you dont live on an island.

I don't understand this last sentence.

The page starts with a "desert-island" scenario. The person you were responding to is pointing out, correctly, that real life is not a desert island, and that many factors come into play when deciding which OS is the "best". Availability of applications is one such factor.

Why do you need to install dual boot, when you can do everything with WindowsXP ? This is the solution.

The solution? What would you do next: write a novel with NotePad or play Solitaire? At least with Linux you could write some new software!

Moved from WindowsXp

XP is a metered app. Or is it?

In other words, MS sees Linux's Desktops looming on the horizon, and they figured out a good strategy to defeat it.

Then they chucked that strategy, and changed their licensing terms to something everyone will hate.

In half a year when all the ninnies who bought XP not knowing it was metered get nag windows saying "please send Bill all your money", heck will break loose.

The Linux Desktops have already surpassed Windows in raw power. By half a year they will easily surpass Windows in ease-of-use, polish, installation, etc.

I want some of the drugs you're on. -- CharlesMiller

2003 is over and still no nagging message from Bill. Linux boxes make good servers, that's all. Hardly a threat to the Microsoft's juggernaut...

I disagree with the above statement. Linux is making inroads throughout the desktop world, including established M$-Territory (<http://www.wired.com/news/technology/0,1282,60896,00.html>). A partial list includes France, Germany, China, Brazil, Munich, Russia, and Britain.

Linux is a threat to Microsoft - an inexhaustive list of big companies that back Linux include Oracle, Sun Microsystems, Novell, Google, and IBM. It is even being proposed for use in government and military offices in America! (some examples: Texas (<http://www.wired.com/news/business/0,1367,61657,00.html>) & Massachusetts)

The point to note is how M$ is scrambling to try and counter Linux. M$ is using its traditional methods of

CategoryMicrosoft

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