Question Dear Microsoft. We are a community of tech enthusiasts, and we think . . . .

[BonzaiDuck]

I remember . . . .. I remember the days of MS-DOS. I remember pirating Lotus 1-2-3 -- not to damage the software developer, but to learn how to use it, and then buy a license for any business application. Take it with a grain of salt. But that is the unvarnished truth. The only thing I ever stole in "intellectual rights" was a chance to train, and the tutorial software. So I could buy a license later as necessary.

I remember . . . IBM-AT/386 -- the advent of Windows 1,2, 3.0, 3.1, - - wuzzit 3.3? Win95, Win 98, Win NT, Win XP, Vista -- hey! We're almost caught up!.

At some time I'm not sure of, Bill Gates was no longer in command. Personnel turned over.

And after 8 years of Windows 10, the loss of Windows Media Center, the commercial crap that pops up on my screen after logon, the Windows EDGE crap that pops up at boot time, a Start Menu designed for half-literate A**H***s, I think it is time to load up the cannon and give them a double-cannister.

"We don't like this, that or the other could be better." "Give 'em the double-cannsiter, boys!" ["Gettysburg", the artillery crews on Seminary Ridge].

How, unless you spend a lot of time in their Microsoft Forums, or "Seven Forum or Ten Forum or whatever, would they ever hear our voices?

I guess this is just a thought.

But why not start a "Dear Windows" Complaint thread?

Well, today, I have other fish to fry. I just had my coffee, and with the caffeine senior brain vitamin, I've had a spurt of "over-enthusiasm."

 

[igor_kavinski]

Tsk Tsk. It's not pirating. It's called "borrowing". Seriously, who buys software just to try it? If you are not making any money from the software and it is not giving you any other benefit other than satiating your curiosity, I don't consider that piracy. We should and must pay for software that makes our life easier and helps us be more productive.

Regarding Windows, they are trying to copy Apple just so they are considered cool. You know, releasing tons of updates and keeping the OS in flux. Instead of removing features outright that their telemetry tells them are not being used widely, they should opensource that part of the OS so enthusiasts and volunteers can keep those features alive and up to date.

 

[BonzaiDuck]

Tsk Tsk. It's not pirating. It's called "borrowing". Seriously, who buys software just to try it? If you are not making any money from the software and it is not giving you any other benefit other than satiating your curiosity, I don't consider that piracy. We should and must pay for software that makes our life easier and helps us be more productive.

Regarding Windows, they are trying to copy Apple just so they are considered cool. You know, releasing tons of updates and keeping the OS in flux. Instead of removing features outright that their telemetry tells them are not being used widely, they should opensource that part of the OS so enthusiasts and volunteers can keep those features alive and up to date.

I just remember . . . . I was a federal civil servant. I had work at the office with fully licensed software. Occasionally, training was offered, but using the software took practice. So I unabashedly admit that I would copy an install disk, take it home, make myself more familiar with it, SOMETIMES -- EVEN TAKE WORK HOME, but the work had a valid license behind it in the office. Do you have any idea how many civil servants went out and bought their own computers to enhance their work at the office? Only a handful I knew of. We would always joke among ourselves about the chuckleheads we knew at work.

I can break a lot of myths about government employees, too . . . . Even so, maybe I should've bolted from my "career" and gone to Bellingham, WA when I was still in my 30's. Instead of getting to meet Cap Weinberger and Elliot Richardson, I might have rubbed shoulders with Bill Gates . . .

You know, there are actually some people in this country who would say -- about public employees who "take work home with them" -- "We've got to put a stop to that! They might be . . . . DOING SOMETHING!"

But I agree about Apple, and I agree about Microsoft. Now that there's a mass-market for technology, they are driven by bizarre inclinations of demand that goes beyond serious business. It's OK I suppose -- I've got my music, my Tee-Vee all managed through my computer or smart devices. Got my robotic PTZ security cameras, my tablets, my cell-phone. I can even buy groceries and drugs online. But thumb-typing to do ONLINE BANKING?! I want a big spreadsheet! I want my Quicken accounting software! I don't want any "commercials" and sales pitches! Nor do I want to do thoughtless impulse buying when I'm out at COSTCO, less able to see the implications for paying NEXT MONTH'S bills . . .

HEre's another one. I know people so fed up with robo-calls -- even on their landlines -- that they schedule times (maybe twice) during the day to check their voice-mail, and they turn the ringer off on their phone so they don't have to answer. It's impossible to touch base with such a person. You might as well use e-mail, comforted by the likelihood that "somebody will get back to you" when they want to do it.

 

[mxnerd]

Start Menu replaced with Open Shell Menu
Edge replacd with Chrome
You can replace Media Center with VLC/Kodi/MediaPortal/Plex

And you got Rainmeter for customized UI.

 

[BonzaiDuck]

Start Menu replaced with Open Shell Menu
Edge replacd with Chrome
You can replace Media Center with VLC/Kodi/MediaPortal/Plex

And you got Rainmeter for customized UI.

I'm titillated that so many fellow members are looking out for my welfare. I definitely had my mind working about selecting the WMC replacement, and thought I might investigate Plex. I will prefer something that has all or most WMC features, for instance, a feature that displays photo-captures. I have every Playboy Playmate from - wha-izzit? -- 1955 to 2004. Willie may be dying, but sometimes, I'd rather watch something better than Amy Goodman or certain others while I continue to listen to their news. I've seen enough of the bombed-out wasteland of Mariupol. Eventually, I might want to just turn off the news and listen to something more pleasant. So Plex or whatever should be good for playing MP3 files, allowing me to switch back and forth between Van Halen and J. S. Bach's complete works for harpsichord.

 

[DasFox]

But why not start a "Dear Windows" Complaint thread?

Actually why not just start a; Time To Run Linux thread... LOL

 

[BonzaiDuck]

Start Menu replaced with Open Shell Menu
Edge replacd with Chrome
You can replace Media Center with VLC/Kodi/MediaPortal/Plex

And you got Rainmeter for customized UI.

I've had Kodi, but I think MediaPortal or Plex are more promising. I intend to investigate this deliberately, so I don't waste as much time building a "perfect" media system.

 

[igor_kavinski]

An Xbox Series S with Kodi would work great, too. I used to let my Xbox One X serve as a media center with Kodi. It worked nicely, except for 4K vids. Those were too hard on the Xbox's weak Jaguar CPU. Kodi lacked GPU acceleration for that I believe.