RE: Windows XP -- MIDRANGE-L

<I agree with Mike Wills that it seems like this is a Non-Tech issue.. but
this is where the thread is.>


Tom,

THANKS for the link...

OTOH, I'm glad the story was written.  Because I firmly believe what the
article states:  "Every feature in Windows had to pass the litmus test,
'Does it increase market share?'"  And it therefore points to a possible way
to get M$ to change a few of this kinds of tactics (whether factual or
not)...

>From earlier today:

| -----Original Message-----
| From: midrange-l-admin@midrange.com
| [mailto:midrange-l-admin@midrange.com]On Behalf Of John Ross
| Sent: Monday, November 26, 2001 10:01 AM
| To: midrange-l@midrange.com
| Subject: RE: Windows XP
|
|
| I would check this out also, the text below was copied from
| http://www.nwfusion.com/news/2001/0917xplicense.html
|
| The big change Microsoft has made is that it will allow
| OEM's to offer licenses that can be downgraded from XP to
| Windows 2000. Previously, those licenses were only available
| from Microsoft as part of volume licensing deals.
|
| What that means is that IT executives can purchase new PCs,
| which likely will come with XP, and install Windows 2000
| Professional over XP and still have a valid license. When
| the machine is ready for an operating system upgrade, XP can
| be re-installed without having to buy a new license.
|
| "It will be easy for businesses with Windows 2000
| Professional, and even Windows 98, to justify licensing XP
| because there is no reason they shouldn't if they get
| downgrade rights."
|

M$ will get a lot of conversions to XP, because they offer additional
features, and most won't worry about the dangers of access to raw Sockets,
nor the "rumored" possibility of TCP/MS.


But I'm not converting to XP.  Period.  There may be technical advantages to
XP that would make it worth these risks, but not in IMV.  I didn't know,
until today, what kind of problem it'd be to put Win2000 on a machine loaded
with XP.  Assuming word gets out, maybe enough folks may decide to do the
same.


So the question becomes:  if M$ gets paid for XP, then what do they care if
a machine is "downgraded" to run Win2000?

***M$ marketing most certainly WILL care***, if enough folks do it.  And I
believe the article when it says marketing is the primary (if not only)
criteria in product design.

Because one thing marketing doesn't go for is a BLACK EYE...  Of course it
depends on how many folks (and businesses) reject XP, whether it'll make
news and make a difference, in the long run...


(I still hope for an alternative to M$..  But, and in spite of the many good
features of OSS Development, I don't think you can defeat ignorance with
more ignorance...)

JMHO.

jt


| -----Original Message-----
| From: midrange-l-admin@midrange.com
| [mailto:midrange-l-admin@midrange.com]On Behalf Of thomas@inorbit.com
| Sent: Tuesday, November 27, 2001 11:17 PM
| To: midrange-l@midrange.com
| Subject: Re: Windows XP
|
|
| On Tue, 27 November 2001, "Peter Dow" wrote:
|
| > > And what about Passport
| > >
| >
| > From what I read, it's so "highly suggested" that most users
| will believe
| > it's a requirement. Uncle Bill Wants _You_!
|
| Possibly more troublesome, enough users might fall for it that it
| becomes a de facto standard.
|
| Can't remember if I first saw it here, but the most intriguing
| "conspiracy theory" related to WinXP, etc., that I've run into
| was the one at (
| http://www.pbs.org/cringely/pulpit/pulpit20010802.html ). So
| _plausible_ sounding regardless of factual content.
|
| Wish it hadn't been written because even if there wasn't a shred
| of truth then, the concept is now out in the open and available
| for exploit.
|
| Tom Liotta
|
| --
| Tom Liotta
| The PowerTech Group, Inc.
| 19426 68th Avenue South
| Kent, WA 98032
| Phone  253-872-7788
| Fax  253-872-7904
| http://www.400Security.com
|
|
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