[ale] Forbes trashes Micro$soft

Fri Jan 4 11:16:25 EST 2013

I have to agree. Between Unity and Metro it's a bit of a race to the bottom.

Like you say, it's about having a tool. For years and years, I had a tool
that worked very well (in the form of the Linux desktop). I've used 'em
all. Switched to Gnome when KDE lost the plot and now with Unity embracing
so many elements that just make it harder to do what I always used to do
with great ease, I'm finding my Linux desktop less powerful than it was in
1999. And Gnome 3 doesn't help much either.

I'm no longer able to say honestly to anyone, dude, just use a Linux
desktop, it's so much more powerful and friendly.

Very sad really, that this weird shift in direction has happened.

Ubuntu has been so good to me, and all my servers run so beautifully. But,
the desktop is in sad state. Although I must say, my 75 year old mother
seems very happy with Unity.

ed

On Fri, Jan 4, 2013 at 10:54 AM, Ron Frazier (ALE) <
atllinuxenthinfo at techstarship.com> wrote:

> **
> Hi Jay, and all,
>
> As you all know from my other posts, I'm a Windows user.  I have been,
> forever, since it's been in existence.  It was what came with your
> computer, or just about the only option to upgrade a DOS machine, back in
> the day.  It was there, it ran the system, generally did the job, generally
> worked, and generally stayed out of my way.  If it can help me do what I
> need to do, so much the better.  The main things I want the OS to do is run
> the computer, stay out of my way, and make the features of the system
> available and accessible to me.  Even though I like Windows and use Windows
> OK, I am not a fan in the sense of a fanatic screaming at a football game.
> It's there.  It does what I need most of the time.  It allows me to use the
> PC to get NON TRIVIAL work done.  I routinely have 50 browser tabs open
> and, sometimes, 6 or more windows open on the screen.  I neither love it,
> nor hate it.
>
> I've been a Ubuntu user since 10.04 (2010), I think.  So, for the last
> couple of years, I could say the same things about Ubuntu.  I try to keep
> my computers functionally identical or close to the same no matter which OS
> they're booted into.  I can do 90% of all the same stuff whether I'm
> running Windows or Ubuntu at any given time.  I can still have lots of
> Firefox tabs open.  I can still have 50 browser tabs open and 6 windows
> open.  Right now, I'm typing this on my Vista machine.  Right next to me,
> the other machine is booted into a Ubuntu live CD and yesterday that one
> was running 4 terminal windows doing badblocks tests on 4 separate HDD's.
> All the while, I could browse the web, write email (if I enter the
> credentials while the live CD is running), write documents, etc.  I like
> Ubuntu OK.  I neither love it, nor hate it.
>
> I will acknowledge and do appreciate the benefits of a free software
> culture that you guys rave on about.  I will also acknowledge that I don't
> like the cost of Windows.
>
> So, I neither love nor hate Windows; and I neither love nor hate Ubuntu.
> They're tools.  I use them to get things done, and sometimes have fun.
>
> UNTIL ...
>
> Unity!
>
> and
>
> Metro!
>
> I can now comfortably say, having used Unity for less than a few hours in
> the last year, that I hate it; and that I won't use it, unless I'm forced
> to kicking and screaming from a live CD, etc.  In fact, every time I use
> it, I find myself saying I hate this, I hate this.  (Yes, I know I can
> change it.  At least that's an option.)
>
> And, you wouldn't expect to hear ME saying this ...
>
> I can now comfortably say, NEVER HAVING USED WINDOWS 8 AT ALL, BASED
> SOLELY ON HEARSAY, that I hate Windows 8, and solemnly plan NEVER to use it
> in its current form as long as I have a choice.
>
> (I think it can support multiple windows in the Desktop "mode", contrary
> to a quote in the video, but it's far from obvious.)
>
> That video was amazing, and mind boggling, and it NAILS it!  I do wish
> he'd avoid the foul language, but he NAILS it.
>
>  This is the most incredible epic fail I've ever seen of a business
> ticking off a very large percentage of it's core customers.
>
> It is also the most incredible epic fail I've ever seen of a business
> throwing PRODUCTIVE COMPUTER USERS under the bus.  YES, there are far more
> consumers out there than heavy producers of content, but SOMEBODY has to
> produce it!  Somebody has to do video editing, sound track mixing,
> simulations, server administration, weather analysis, etc.  These systems
> say to the serious amateur users, the professional users, and the extremely
> geeky users, like people in forums like this - screw you.  We don't care if
> you're productive any more.  Everyone can just be a simplistic, CONSUMER of
> content, and so what if nobody can produce.  Not only that, these systems
> make it harder for even the simple users to do anything but the most basic
> and obvious tasks.
>
> This is an epic example of the new pups not knowing or caring about the
> knowledge that the old farts have accumulated for 20 - 30 years,
> reinventing the wheel, and coming up with a square tire.  Whether it will
> be a financial success is unknown, but I stand by may statement.
>
> Stupid, stupid, stupid.
>
> I can't imagine the billions of dollars of lost productivity and / or
> training costs to work AROUND the Windows 8 UI that businesses will suffer
> ... IF they even allow this thing to be deployed.
>
> Don't get me wrong, good change is good, but bad change it bad.
>
> OK.  End of rant.
>
> Thanks for posting the video link.
>
> Sincerely,
>
> Ron
>
>
>
> On 1/3/2013 10:44 PM, Jay Lozier wrote:
>
> On 01/03/2013 07:15 PM, Bob Toxen wrote:
>
> Forbes Magazine article calls Micro$oft:
>
>   "A failing giant that only survives by charging prices that 'bleed
>   customers dry'"
>
>
>   http://news.yahoo.com/microsoft-called-failing-giant-only-survives-charging-prices-151012820.html
>
>  Running down the original article
>
>
> http://www.forbes.com/sites/rogerkay/2013/01/02/microsoft-is-fast-turning-into-a-sideshow/
>
> he references a very scathing You-Tube video about Windows 8 by Brian
> Boyko (its about 24 minutes)
>
> http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WTYet-qf1jo
>
> The video's main theme is that M$ broke the 4 basic rules for a good UI
> design without any valid reason. This gives a very poor user overall
> experience because it frustrates users. He actually stated that as UI a
> command line was superior because it obeys 2 of the rules.
>
> Back to the article, apparently M$ has many serious internal problems and
> once people start migrating away from M$ they could be in very serious
> financial trouble. Apparently many of their products try to force a vendor
> lock and once people find other solutions they lose the vendor lock in. The
> article appears to reference Linux in that he referred to alternates to
> Windows that were cheaper.
>
>
> NOTE: if you have my "bob at cavu.com" <bob at cavu.com> email address it now is"bob at cavu.info" <bob at cavu.info> as I sold cavu.com on 12/31/2012.
>
> Bob Toxenbob at verysecurelinux.com               [Please use for email to me]http://www.verysecurelinux.com        [Network&Linux security consulting]http://www.realworldlinuxsecurity.com [My book:"Real World Linux Security 2/e"]
> Quality Linux & UNIX security and SysAdmin & software consulting since 1990.
> Quality spam and virus filters.
>
> "One disk to rule them all, One disk to find them. One disk to bring
> them all and in the darkness grind them. In the Land of Redmond where
> the shadows lie...and the Eye is everwatching"
> -- The Silicon Valley Tarot Henrique Holschuh with ... Bob
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>
> --
> Jay Lozierjslozier at gmail.com
>
>
> _______________________________________________
> Ale mailing listAle at ale.orghttp://mail.ale.org/mailman/listinfo/ale
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>
>
> --
>
> (To whom it may concern.  My email address has changed.  Replying to former
> messages prior to 03/31/12 with my personal address will go to the wrong
> address.  Please send all personal correspondence to the new address.)
>
> (PS - If you email me and don't get a quick response, you might want to
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>
> Ron Frazier770-205-9422 (O)   Leave a message.
> linuxdude AT techstarship.com
>
>
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