More sick of Microsoft
July 18th, 2004 by Sarin
This week I was assigned to do regular computer maintenance on the machines throughout the office. The tasks assigned were to update Windows as much as possible, clean out some temp/cache, and run spyware removal programs. I thought this would last about an hour each computer, and considering there were 13 computers, I thought this would be a great time waster.
Boy, was it a frickin’ time waster. The more I did computer maintenence tasks on each machine, the longer it took to download updates for each machine. Seriously, what kind of program needs updates as much as Windows? The whole idea of using Windows and keeping it updated, is such a productivity waste. It is basically a waste of state money to make sure an intern like me would UPDATE WINDOWS BECAUSE IT IS HORRIBLE FLAWED. Surely enough, I do this stuff at my other job at school, but at least at school, I know they’re not watching what I read on the internet.
And then I got sick of it. The whole keeping on your toes thing about security, updates, viruses, pop ups, spam e-mail and blah blah blah. Why do I have to keep working to put a program that was well purchased work the way it should? Grrr.. even my machine at home isn’t working the way I wished it too. It’s my machine, but even I can’t keep it optimized.
At work, my current workstation runs Windows 95. It has 128 mbs of ram. It works. This machine has never given me headaches for the two summers that I was working on it. Which brings me to believe, that if I want to be happy with a computer, should I just move backwards in time?
That question has a double edge to it. Yesterday when I was fixing Lauren’s computer, we skipped her Windows ME installation disc because I would feel bad for giving her a GOD AWFUL piece of an OS. Later that day, at Circuit City, we even saw… Windows ME on clearance. $35 can get you a full install of Windows ME, but be warned, Microsoft will not support ME anymore as if it was the OS that didn’t exist.
But there is a positive side to going back in time. I have been using and just defaulted my web browser to Mozilla Firefox, which is based off of Mozilla, which is based off of Netscape. After getting used to Firefox, I don’t think I am going to Microsoft Internet Explorer anytime soon. Right out of the package, Mozilla or Firefox runs smoother, safer, and its built in pop up blocking surpasses any plug-in that Internet Explorer can handle.
Which brings me to believe that I should strip my computer of Microsoft alltogether, and lead a stress free life in Linux. I am seriously thinking it through. This weekend I have run two Linux “Live” CDS and I am very impressed with the speed, and automation of a Linux OS. Mostly everything should transfer over fine, but I’m afraid I’ll end up hating it.
Since I was 11, I have learned in ‘Microsoft’. I learned commands from the DOS prompt, programmed in QBasic, configured autoexec.bat, and remember that stupid thing called Program Manager. I have no problem tossing all of that away.
Stupid Microsoft.
I just wish everything they made wasn’t such a hog.
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Hey Sarin - what’s up? Just wanted to drop a comment in here, get with the cool kids, or the time, or…something. Microsoft’s definitely stupid, but I don’t think anyone could seriously get me to use a Mac, and I’m not versed in Linux, probably like the rest of us boobs.
But as long as the world’s got you in it - I count myself a little more intelligent. I dunno how that works. Hey - funny story or not, for some reason my family got into this discussion about universities with religious affiliation that led to talk of some local woman who won 250 million and people are asking her to send them money - and then, I don’t know how, it got to the point where it was mentioned that the largest Cambodian population is somewhere in Cali, and Lowell, Ma I guess - it just made me think of you and the wonderful “state” of Rhode Island. Go figure.
Miss ya, buddy. Sorry so long.
- Justin
Hmm… I make you more intelligent?
Damn, I must be stupid.