5 dead operating systems, and what their ghosts can tell us

[CODYQX4]

sorry but if you were to magically install linux on everyone's computer overnight there would be rioting in the streets because people would be so frantic to get their version of windows back asap...linux despite what you think.... is never going to be for the average user as it is far from user friendly for any one who is not an expert at trouble shooting for even the most basic functions to work out of the box...hell half the people i work with do not even know windows has updates or that they need to update their antivirus software or even what that really means or that anti virus programs do not protect them from stupidity

LOL Thing about Linux users we don’t want everyone to install it . Were not ready to deal with non technical people yet Take a person who never tired Linux it would easy for them . but if you been on windows along long time and don’t want to learn something new its not for you. But a person who is new to pcs or someone willing to learn new things its easy . You just have to be not closed minded about trying something different.

.And on Linux there is no reason to install a anti-virus or to even buy programs . All my programs on it are free and most of them just update trough the update manger after I add them . No need to visit sites after the 1st install . :lol:

As someone who dabbles with Linux web servers and uses a Mac, I'd still choose Windows 10 and go out of my way to stop the spyware and annoyances than want any Linux distro to be my daily Desktop OS.

[dMog]

my second computer i would dual boot with a version of 10 and play around with some different linux builds..but as i have said in the past every time in the past i played around with linux i had unwanted headaches and other assorted small issues...one i am sure if Linux lovers saw on windows 10 would be screaming bloody murder over but except it as growing pains and facts of life with linux

[steven36]

sorry but if you were to magically install linux on everyone's computer overnight there would be rioting in the streets because people would be so frantic to get their version of windows back asap...linux despite what you think.... is never going to be for the average user as it is far from user friendly for any one who is not an expert at trouble shooting for even the most basic functions to work out of the box...hell half the people i work with do not even know windows has updates or that they need to update their antivirus software or even what that really means or that anti virus programs do not protect them from stupidity

LOL Thing about Linux users we don’t want everyone to install it . Were not ready to deal with non technical people yet Take a person who never tired Linux it would easy for them . but if you been on windows along long time and don’t want to learn something new its not for you. But a person who is new to pcs or someone willing to learn new things its easy . You just have to be not closed minded about trying something different.

.And on Linux there is no reason to install a anti-virus or to even buy programs . All my programs on it are free and most of them just update trough the update manger after I add them . No need to visit sites after the 1st install . :lol:

As someone who dabbles with Linux web servers and uses a Mac, I'd still choose Windows 10 and go out of my way to stop the spyware and annoyances than want any Linux distro to be my daily Desktop OS.

I Put in a hard drive today because when windows 10 crashed my hard-drive it messed it up and you know how hard drive after they go bad they go quick. I could of put windows 10 back on it maybe it would activate back ? But all I had to do was put my Linux mint DVD in after i put the hard drive in and install no having to fool with calling M$ or dealing with shady activation. You cant beat free in my book . I still have pcs with windows one with windows 7 and a new one with windows 8.1 I’m going leave them that way . because I got bored with windows in 2011. And Windows 10 is nothing special. ;)

[CODYQX4]

sorry but if you were to magically install linux on everyone's computer overnight there would be rioting in the streets because people would be so frantic to get their version of windows back asap...linux despite what you think.... is never going to be for the average user as it is far from user friendly for any one who is not an expert at trouble shooting for even the most basic functions to work out of the box...hell half the people i work with do not even know windows has updates or that they need to update their antivirus software or even what that really means or that anti virus programs do not protect them from stupidity

LOL Thing about Linux users we don’t want everyone to install it . Were not ready to deal with non technical people yet Take a person who never tired Linux it would easy for them . but if you been on windows along long time and don’t want to learn something new its not for you. But a person who is new to pcs or someone willing to learn new things its easy . You just have to be not closed minded about trying something different.

.And on Linux there is no reason to install a anti-virus or to even buy programs . All my programs on it are free and most of them just update trough the update manger after I add them . No need to visit sites after the 1st install . :lol:

As someone who dabbles with Linux web servers and uses a Mac, I'd still choose Windows 10 and go out of my way to stop the spyware and annoyances than want any Linux distro to be my daily Desktop OS.

I Put in a hard drive today because when windows 10 crashed my hard-drive it messed it up and you know how hard drive after they go bad they go quick. I could of put windows 10 back on it maybe it would activate back ? But all I had to do was put my Linux mint DVD in after i put the hard drive in and install no having to fool with calling M$ or dealing with shady activation. You cant beat free in my book . I still have pcs with windows one with windows 7 and a new one with windows 8.1 I’m going leave them that way . because I got bored with windows in 2011. And Windows 10 is nothing special. ;)

You can beat free, if paid is a much better experience for those making the choice. Technically, I got OS X free, but really it's a part of the expensive iMac I bought.

I prefer using Windows, even with it's bugs. there's way more software support, and I don't like really any of the GNU apps. I find LibreOffice to be unimaginable inferior to MS Office. I can't even edit a spreadsheet in the former without the app freezing. Simple spreadsheet too. Fire up MS Office and use it for hours.

How I can beat free: Free dog droppings, or $1 brownies?

PS: Irrelevant to actual function, but I find by default that Linux distros look fugly as hell and have weird font kerning.

[steven36]

sorry but if you were to magically install linux on everyone's computer overnight there would be rioting in the streets because people would be so frantic to get their version of windows back asap...linux despite what you think.... is never going to be for the average user as it is far from user friendly for any one who is not an expert at trouble shooting for even the most basic functions to work out of the box...hell half the people i work with do not even know windows has updates or that they need to update their antivirus software or even what that really means or that anti virus programs do not protect them from stupidity

LOL Thing about Linux users we don’t want everyone to install it . Were not ready to deal with non technical people yet Take a person who never tired Linux it would easy for them . but if you been on windows along long time and don’t want to learn something new its not for you. But a person who is new to pcs or someone willing to learn new things its easy . You just have to be not closed minded about trying something different.

.And on Linux there is no reason to install a anti-virus or to even buy programs . All my programs on it are free and most of them just update trough the update manger after I add them . No need to visit sites after the 1st install . :lol:

As someone who dabbles with Linux web servers and uses a Mac, I'd still choose Windows 10 and go out of my way to stop the spyware and annoyances than want any Linux distro to be my daily Desktop OS.

I Put in a hard drive today because when windows 10 crashed my hard-drive it messed it up and you know how hard drive after they go bad they go quick. I could of put windows 10 back on it maybe it would activate back ? But all I had to do was put my Linux mint DVD in after i put the hard drive in and install no having to fool with calling M$ or dealing with shady activation. You cant beat free in my book . I still have pcs with windows one with windows 7 and a new one with windows 8.1 I’m going leave them that way . because I got bored with windows in 2011. And Windows 10 is nothing special. ;)

You can beat free, if paid is a much better experience for those making the choice. Technically, I got OS X free, but really it's a part of the expensive iMac I bought.

I prefer using Windows, even with it's bugs. there's way more software support, and I don't like really any of the GNU apps. I find LibreOffice to be unimaginable inferior to MS Office. I can't even edit a spreadsheet in the former without the app freezing. Simple spreadsheet too. Fire up MS Office and use it for hours.

How I can beat free: Free dog droppings, or $1 brownies?

PS: Irrelevant to actual function, but I find by default that Linux distros look fugly as hell and have weird font kerning.

I find windows 10 to be about as ugly as you can get since windows 3.0 of course you can use aero glass and tweak the colors . Everything I find about windows 10 is trouble . You have to block the spyware out . Do all kinds of stuff to it to improve the looks of it . And its full of bugs . I don’t even install office in windows so i could care less about ether suite .

Windows 10 is so great that at Windows 10 Forums they have 41 pages of topics on BSOD Crashes and Debugging. :lol:

http://www.tenforums.com/bsod-crashes-debugging/

Also Linux Mint has all kinds of themes with it or you can make you’re own its open source ..you can make it look as you like. Or with Linux you could build you’re own O/S . Its not closed source like windows.

Also a lot stuff you use can be installed on mint like J downloader and Google Chrome . AMD drivers etc. so you already use apps that work on Linux :)

There you go comparing food to software code . Software you can use free or shareware ether one you want die without . But I can tell you one thing without free software you would be missing out on a lot good apps . But shareware can be replaced in a world were the masses use free stuff on a paid O/S . But without food you would die .

I find it funny some people brag about buying apps for a pirated copy of windows . If you pirate the O/S you use you may as well pirate it all because you’re not legal to began with.

What did open source ever do to you that you despise them so much? its not like they took you’re money but you can donate if you wish. There's 275 different active distros to choose from on liunx, on windows Microsoft has 4 they still support . By January 10, 2023 they will only have one witch is windows 10 they will still support.

Microsoft will get more boring year after year.

[dMog]

so basically...the whole truth of the matter...we only see the truth we want to see don't we :rolleyes:

[smallhagrid]

Referring to the OP and its inference of 'dead' OSes:

1. XP=> Not dead by a long shot, uncounted numbers of folks are using it happily world-wide.

m$ says it is dead, yeah ??

So what, big deal - look at all those who are using it and happy with it, still.

2. RT=> This is like mentioning win ME - so few folks even remember this as to be ridiculous.

3. Mac OS=> Only relevant insofar as there are zero genuine Macs being made anymore - they are all re-badged PCs with the OS modified to run on non-Motorola CPUs.

Otherwise, the Mac OS is still quite current and its users are fanatically devoted to using it.

4. OS/2=> Sorry mr. or ms. writer - but you've made a real booboo here.

That OS was so amazingly stable that it, along with NT4 are still behind MANY mission-critical installations so may years later.

Here again - the writer used mention of an arcane, almost unknown OS to try and make a point...FAIL.

5. 'The ghosts of Linux past'=> Linux is VERY MUCH alive & well, thank you.

Some distros & groups come & go as with all tech stuff - so what, big deal.

Here is the big deal here IMO:

Mr. or ms. writer is a big fool, trying to show off his or her competency in front of a mostly ignorant audience.

Folks who read this forum are usually far more competent than the average tech user who knows almost nothing.

As to what the average user actually does with their tech gear, s/w and OS...:

- Most folks use a browser (and do not even know where to find the URL line...);

- An email account either via webmail in the browser, or via an email client that most do not even know the name of;

- Some word processing app - again, most average users call all of those 'word' in their ignorance - and finally -

- Maybe some crappy digital photo s/w that installed by default from a disc that came with their camera.

Skype users ??

That is a higher user level than average.

VOIP users with soft phones, etc. ??

Far, far higher than average.

Somewhere WAY above all the above is the average gamer and most users of this forum.

In all honesty there is a side point that MUST be included here=>

We must include mention of those who have abandoned their desktop computers for either just a smartphone or a tablet or a smart TV.

The vast majority of those users ARE unwitting Linux users right now, whether techie folks wish to flame that simple fact, or not.

Now - to be correct & honest about truly dead OSes - here are some which are so old that they require special care now - even to start and/or run on current h/w:

Windows 1 - 3.11;

Windows 95;

Windows 98;

Windows Millenium;

Windows NT before V4;

OS9 (Most never heard of this);

CP/M (Ditto).

There are also a great many more OSes.

If in doubt about this fact, see the huge chart here:

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Comparison_of_operating_systems

Also, the market shares of OSes are closely watched by the sales of devices as shown here:

(Source: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Operating_system)

Ultimately we're back to the whole Chevy vs. Ford or Bud vs. Michelob idea;

You likes yours, I likes mine, and there's many more who neither know nor give a hoot about the whole subject EVEN THOUGH they's got them some - but don't even know what it is.

[dMog]

quote... Ultimately we're back to the whole Chevy vs. Ford or Bud vs. Michelob idea;

You likes yours, I likes mine, and there's many more who neither know nor give a hoot about the whole subject EVEN THOUGH they's got them some - but don't even know what it is.

agreed... has anyone else noticed android is not so quietly taking over lots of people no longer have land lines and more and more people are quietly relying less and less on their PC or their mac but the big story here android is ruling the market.... not pc or mac.. or iphone

[steven36]

quote... Ultimately we're back to the whole Chevy vs. Ford or Bud vs. Michelob idea;

You likes yours, I likes mine, and there's many more who neither know nor give a hoot about the whole subject EVEN THOUGH they's got them some - but don't even know what it is.

agreed... has anyone else noticed android is not so quietly taking over lots of people no longer have land lines and more and more people are quietly relying less and less on their PC or their mac but the big story here android is ruling the market.... not pc or mac.. or iphone

I been noticing this for years .. that cell phones are slowly taking over that’s old news really . just many people are on the internet on phones now as computers and even more use them as a normal phone.

Referring to the OP and its inference of 'dead' OSes:

1. XP=> Not dead by a long shot, uncounted numbers of folks are using it happily world-wide.

m$ says it is dead, yeah ??

So what, big deal - look at all those who are using it and happy with it, still.

In my own little world XP has been dead since 2010 that’s the last I used other than in a VM Only 11.68% of the world uses this O/S so like 88% of the O/S world don’t use it any more . Its dead but just want stop rolling over in its grave its like a zombie . Same way was windows 98 when XP came out i was on XP before SP1 and everyone swore they was going stay on windows 98 se . Its the developers who keep XP alive . Once they drop support for it like they did windows 98 the zombie will die . :P

You act like they use it because its something the end user is doing its not . Its software developers fault that it still has any user base at all . And security software reps talk crap about it but still support it , so that makes them hypocrites ,Watch how fast that user base drops once they drop all the support there favourite apps .XP is just hanging on by a thread as it has been every since M$ dropped support for it , its just the developers want to make money from it and they sold more software for xp than anything else even the firewall that came with it is not good . So they made a killing off it on security software and other apps.

[smallhagrid]

Perhaps, but:

In my own little world XP has been dead since 2010 that’s the last I used other than in a VM Only 11.68% of the world uses this O/S so like 88% of the O/S world don’t use it any more . Its dead but just want stop rolling over in its grave its like a zombie . Same way was windows 98 when XP came out i was on XP before SP1 and everyone swore they was going stay on windows 98 se . Its the developers who keep XP alive . Once they drop support for it like they did windows 98 the zombie will die .

It is sales that mostly drive the gathering of such statistics, so:

I suspect that the 11.68% number is wildly different from the actual reality - as there are no further XP or XP system sales to go by, and folks using it in VMs happily and quietly will never be counted in any manner.

There are entire nation areas which are not as wealthy as the US where I am quite certain there are many millions who are still using un-genuine copies of XP, and who likely will be using it for some time to come.

As to your assertion regarding developers driving things:

I think it is obvious that m$ made a mistake of sorts by making XP different enough from win2k that it was a waypoint for apps and drivers - and it still is to this day.

A supporting bit of evidence in this matter is cited in this thread:
http://www.nsaneforums.com/topic/255227-internet-explorer-still-the-number-one-browser-in-the-world-edge-very-far-behind/

The change that you assert can only take place when everything gets changed so completely to a new programming structure and likely also all 64 bit - thereby eliminating backwards compatibilities as much as possible.

Sadly - this also tends to piss off users and cause big drops in revenues - which is why I suspect it is slow to happen.

And regardless of all the above:

Many folks with trusty 32 bit systems who have all that they need and some spare parts will keep them going for quite a while - just due to personal preferences and abilities.

Speaking just for myself=>

When forced changes finally get quite that obnoxious I will be using Linux 100% either via desktop or Android devices.

Android is already way ahead of everything else in active market share by devices sold and that trend shows no signs of slowing down AFAIK.

[CODYQX4]

Perhaps, but:

In my own little world XP has been dead since 2010 that’s the last I used other than in a VM Only 11.68% of the world uses this O/S so like 88% of the O/S world don’t use it any more . Its dead but just want stop rolling over in its grave its like a zombie . Same way was windows 98 when XP came out i was on XP before SP1 and everyone swore they was going stay on windows 98 se . Its the developers who keep XP alive . Once they drop support for it like they did windows 98 the zombie will die .

It is sales that mostly drive the gathering of such statistics, so:

I suspect that the 11.68% number is wildly different from the actual reality - as there are no further XP or XP system sales to go by, and folks using it in VMs happily and quietly will never be counted in any manner.

There are entire nation areas which are not as wealthy as the US where I am quite certain there are many millions who are still using un-genuine copies of XP, and who likely will be using it for some time to come.

As to your assertion regarding developers driving things:

I think it is obvious that m$ made a mistake of sorts by making XP different enough from win2k that it was a waypoint for apps and drivers - and it still is to this day.

A supporting bit of evidence in this matter is cited in this thread:

http://www.nsaneforums.com/topic/255227-internet-explorer-still-the-number-one-browser-in-the-world-edge-very-far-behind/

The change that you assert can only take place when everything gets changed so completely to a new programming structure and likely also all 64 bit - thereby eliminating backwards compatibilities as much as possible.

Sadly - this also tends to piss off users and cause big drops in revenues - which is why I suspect it is slow to happen.

And regardless of all the above:

Many folks with trusty 32 bit systems who have all that they need and some spare parts will keep them going for quite a while - just due to personal preferences and abilities.

Speaking just for myself=>

When forced changes finally get quite that obnoxious I will be using Linux 100% either via desktop or Android devices.

Android is already way ahead of everything else in active market share by devices sold and that trend shows no signs of slowing down AFAIK.

I've always understood these statistics to come from web tracking, at least a lot I've heard of. Just the user agent alone says "I'm XP". Apple (and MS) actually started keeping old User Agents in new products until final to prevent rumors/leaking.

There's probably a lot of XP machines inside businesses that aren't at all being used for general web browsing, but run old, decrepit apps that weren't upgraded, even if most of that company moved to 7.

[smallhagrid]

Some do, yes, but:

I've always understood these statistics to come from web tracking, at least a lot I've heard of. Just the user agent alone says "I'm XP". Apple (and MS) actually started keeping old User Agents in new products until final to prevent rumors/leaking.

There's probably a lot of XP machines inside businesses that aren't at all being used for general web browsing, but run old, decrepit apps that weren't upgraded, even if most of that company moved to 7.

It depends upon what agency is doing the checking - for instance - google vs. gartner...

Google must collect UA data, whereas gartner will use sales data.

Many small offices & retailers still use XP for everything - this is just a simple economic truth - small businesses lack the capital to replace their PCs very often and so they keep them as long as they remain usable.

One clever method for doing this is eliminating internet and all outside data access - keeping the business network strictly for use inside the business - while doing browsing & emails on tablets or smartphones via wifi.

This is a very cheap way to keep desktop PCs in use until they actually die of h/w failures.